Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Faruqi: the institution of media in Australia is ripe for troll exploitation. It's almost exclusively staffed by White editors and journalists. They play into right wing agenda in the way they report on racism & the uncritical platform they provide White supremacists, incl Hanson

What have employers done to protect Khalik as a young Muslim woman journalist? None were proactive measures: The Australian sent her out with a bodyguard in 1 story. ABC provided 2 counseling sessions, which were unproductive as psychologist didn't understand Khalik's identity.*

Khalik: Proactive measures would mean making structural reform against racism, tackling online abuse systematically, and hiring more racial and religious minorities (and protecting them)

Cost of trolling: Faruqi: has spent thousands of dollars in therapy & made the decision to give up his Twitter, where he had thousands of followers. Gorman: trolling costs $3.7 billion just in time off work & medical costs for survivors. Not including security and other costs

Question from floor: What do panelists think of Egg Boy? Gorman: doesn't celebrate his actions. Trolls are sadists. They want to cause hurt. Can't solve violence with violence. Faruqi: Egg Boy said it best- he's overtaken media interest in the victims. This isn't helpful

Question from the floor: ideal online framework for behaviour/ education Gorman: the same rules that apply in everyday life should apply to online behaviour. Your free speech ends when you use hate speech

Khalik: trolls are angry that she is proud of her Palestinian refugee background. Why should she hide this in order to do her job and be safe?

Faruqi: sexist views, anti-Muslim views online aren't easily solved because they mirror society. We need better legislation to deal with online abuse, but this is just the symptom. Better education is only part of the answer. We need broader social change to deal with racism