US Election 2020
The US presidential election always gathers massive public attention. As many of us live in a strong American-centrist culture, it has been widely known (and to some extent - accepted) that its outcome can influence political landscapes all around the world and dictate future directions for global development. This year, Americans are casting their votes in fairly unusual conditions. The ongoing turmoil is caused by, among others, the global pandemic, social unrest, re-invoking debate on racial injustice and widespread disinformation which gradually erodes the credibility of the press and undermines the work of journalists.
Growing distrust toward media outlets is fueled by antagonistic rhetoric applied by the current administration. Incumbent president Donald Trump is infamous for his attempts to undermine the role of some media outlets which have been critical against his governance. Since he took office, disparaging tweets and provocative responses to journalists’ questions have quickly become a new, troubling standard. In its in-depth, complex report “The Trump Administration and the Media”, CPJ points out that Donald Trump devotes a significant amount of time to denounce certain media outlets at his rallies of ardent supporters, prompting people to shout and boo at the present representatives of “the enemy of the people” things like “CNN sucks”. He tends to reiterate the term “fake news” each time when he strongly disagrees with a certain coverage. This rhetoric amplifies in critical moments. As initially Trump’s administration aimed to downplay the pandemic danger, the president has notoriously accused media outlets of spreading lies and causing an unnecessary panic. Alongside, he discredited reports, called for the boycott of some news organizations and denigrated journalists. Donald Trump’s reprehensible treatment of women journalists continues ahead of the elections.
Years of Trump’s unprecedented hostility toward the media has its reflection in visible deterioration of working conditions for journalists. Once the demonstrations after the murder of George Floyd sparked across the country, the attacks on reporters soared. The CFWIJ watches closely with a great concern, the growing hostility, especially towards women reporters who have been facing constant threat of violence (including physical assault), arrest and censorship. Freelance photographer Maranie Rae Staab became the target of an attack, while she was filming an officer removing the mask of a protester as they were gassing the crowd. He saw Maranie filming and threw her backwards causing her to fall and get scrapes and bruises. Bearing in mind the scale of danger, we created a special app called JSafe which helps women journalists to report various types of abuse and seek help. It was designed to be as user-friendly as possible and enable to document a crime in an easy, fast manner
At the peak of the protests, Donald Trump once again expressed his strong disappointment in the media saying in a tweet that “The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy”. Political splits in the United States and growing animosities target reporters regardless of their professional background, including those initially with a so-called “positive attitude” to the incumbent president. Amidst the riots all over the United States in protest against the brutal killing of George Floyd, Fox News reporter Leland Vittert was attacked and chased by the protestors outside the White House which was captured on a video.
The reality of intensified attacks on reporters jeopardizes their efforts to inform the public and puts a special target on women journalists who are twice as much exposed to various types of threats as they are related not only to their job but also gender. The “good, old-fashioned” misogyny and highly inappropriate sexual comments are accompanied with physical attacks and massive rise of online harassment which CFWIJ has been meticulously documenting and acting against. Trump has notoriously taken a swipe on female reporters himself. He has no problem in patronizing female reporters claiming that they shout too much and should better relax and be nice. Demeaning comments and behavior are even more striking towards female journalists of color as they are still massively underrepresented in the media landscape and treated more like intruders in the newsrooms than equal partners.
Elections are also largely shaped by the information available to voters. Given the challenges with the emerging phenomenon of fake news and repeated attacks on press freedom, the role of fair reporting has an immense influence on executing democratic procedures properly. Only free and independent journalists can fully assume the duty of providing the needed, unbiased coverage and make sure that any example of misconduct will not be swept under the rug. At the CFWIJ we continue to support women journalists who are regularly impeded from solely fulfilling their reporting duties, especially in such sensitive times of presidential campaign.
In this section one can find our research regarding the burning issue of disinformation, stories of women journalists who have been subjected to various types of threats, safety guidelines, resources and useful tips for those working on the ground. Knowing your rights and supporting each other is crucial in these uncertain times.
Newsroom
⚡️ “US Election 2020”https://t.co/veLvOnsvpm
— #WomenInJournalism (@CFWIJ) November 3, 2020
Safety Guidelines
Women journalists in the US may encounter many impediments while covering the elections of November 3rd, but we believe for women journalists; knowing your rights and the duty of the state will be helpful in overcoming them.
The United States is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which provides safety for journalists reporting about the elections. Additionally, the First Amendment protects journalists’ right to gather news outside polling places for the purpose of reporting on early election results. Although many states today have polling-place restrictions to prevent voter intimidation and election fraud, courts have invalidated legislation that is aimed at preventing exit polling.
We recommend that every woman journalist who will report on the elections prepares a safety checklist for herself.
The checklist should include:
ID and Press Badge
Emergency numbers
Health and dietary restriction card which includes blood type
PPE (such as mask, hand sanitizer and material to cover the microphone)
Enough cash that will help with bail in case of an arrest.
Although as a journalist you have every right to cover the elections, please know that with respect to photography, courts have upheld some restrictions inside polling locations, given concerns about election security. Refrain from posting “ballot selfies” and photographing votes of citizens in a way that will expose them.
Following is a guide to knowing US State’s duties and responsibilities in order to ensure journalists can conduct their professional duties while covering the elections:
1. Duty to inform the public
During the period preceding an election, the media has a duty to ensure that the public is informed about relevant electoral matters such as the political parties, candidates, campaign issues and voting processes.
According to ICCPR; states are obliged to ensure that “Every citizen shall have the right and opportunity, without [distinction of any kind] ... to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections” this also encompasses the duty of the state to ensure that electors have the necessary information to register and vote, and to make informed choices regarding the elections.
2. Freedom of speech must be respected
Laws which breach international guarantees of freedom of expression are problematical during elections as they may limit political debate and the ability of the media to cover the election, thereby interfering with the fairness of the election. Such laws should be deemed abolished well in advance of the election campaign.
3. Duty to protect journalists and their equipment
The authorities should make special efforts to investigate all acts of violence, intimidation or harassment directed against media personnel or the property or premises of a media outlet, and to bring those responsible to justice, particularly where the act was motivated by an intent to interfere with media freedom. Please do not hesitate to report any impediment at work to the authorities.
4. Duty to limit censorship
Neither the authorities nor media outlets should interfere with the broadcast of an election programme unless they are certain that this is necessary to prevent substantial harm, such as an act of violence. Broadcast channels are allowed to pre-screen programmes in order to ensure that they do not violate the standards set out above but this should not be used as a pretext to delay or prevent transmission of legitimate programmes. However, they cannot be required to prescreen, as this would put them in the situation of being a censor.
5. Limits on media liability
The media should be exempted from legal liability for unlawful statements made by candidates or party representatives and broadcast during the course of election campaigns. Reporting an “uncouth” statement can not bear legal responsibility for journalists.
Other things to remember:
Do not carry a weapon with you.
Know that you have a right to refuse an assignment that you consider dangerous or immoral.
Report any attacks or threats against you to authorities and contact us via JSafe APP.
Always tell someone else preferably your editor and co-workers where you are going and when you will return.
Remember!
A journalist’s best defence is reporting in a way that is accurate, impartial and responsible. The reporting should take no sides. It should represent the voice of the people.
Avoid Disinformation
The rapid development of the Internet and especially of social networks revolutionized the way we communicate with others and also our information consumption habits . The Internet has opened the door for anyone to create content and share it. Not only are the mainstream media and journalists generating opinion and information, but also different sources decontextualize facts and reduce the veracity of the information. The (mis)information is a threat to democracy and it's important to emphasize its negative impact especially during the elections. To combat lies and deception, a real commitment to the media literacy of citizens is necessary.
1. How to detect a false news or one that tries to misinform?
The rapid development of the Internet and especially of social networks revolutionized the way we communicate with others and also our information consumption habits .
The Internet has opened the door for anyone to create content and share it. Not only are the mainstream media and journalists generating opinion and information, but also different sources decontextualize facts and reduce the veracity of the information.
The (mis)information is a threat to democracy and it's important to emphasize its negative impact especially during the elections. To combat lies and deception, a real commitment to the media literacy of citizens is necessary.
In raising awareness of the importance of not passing false news The Coalition For Women In Journalism has gathered easy to follow steps on how to spot misinformation surrounding the upcoming US elections.
2. Encourage critical thinking
Disinformation spreads much faster than information that denies it. Fake news is 70% more likely to be shared and to become viral phenomena than real information, according to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) published in 2018. For these reasons, developing critical thinking and consuming information from various media sources is one of the recommendations. It is also important not to share those messages that seem unreliable or that are not verified. And most importantly, use of common sense to avoid spreading lies is the best advice.
3. Read beyond the flashy headlines
Does a headline include information that outrages you, angers you, saddens you? If a provocative headline caught your attention, read the full story before you decide to share it with others. These types of headlines usually appeal to the most emotional part of people and not to their most rational side. The abcnews.com.co (fake news site) story checked by FactCheck.org, headlined “Obama Signs Executive Order Banning The Pledge Of Allegiance In Schools Nationwide,” went viral after many of its ‘’readers’’ passed it along after only reading a headline and not the whole story.
4. Is it credible news or a humorous content?
There are users on the internet who share jokes or fabricated news that appear similar to conventional information making it more difficult to identify. Even though the authors of this humorous content do not intend to deceive, some Internet users can misinterpret the information . This is how some of the jokes end up becoming 'fake news'.
5. Check the source
If you come across an article from a website you have never heard before check out the website's “Contact” and “About Us” pages. In the example below you can see that the website of World News Daily Report has a disclaimer stating that the site is meant to be satirical.
6. Take notice of other websites reporting on the story.
Check other articles on the story to consider their similarities & differences and note down the sources. If you can not find the coverage of the same story in other websites - the news is likely to be fake.
7. Verify information on Google
Do a quick Google search of the website. Google the address, see all the employees listed and if any of them have a profile on LinkedIn or Twitter. Also look out for any information on the website's reputation - you might stumble upon an article or two if they are known for spreading fake news or misleading information.
8. Pay close attention to The URL
The URLs of fake news websites and original one can often look almost identical. Many fake news websites trick readers by mimicking the URL, logo, and design of credible news websites.
9. Be aware of spelling or grammar errors
Most reliable news sources have a minimum of two experts including a copy editor that follow strict editorial guidelines. They check for these mistakes before publication and determine that the submitted manuscripts are suitable to the scope of the news website or not.
10. Examine the Facts
Presence of quotes from experts survey data and official statistics are the signs of credible journalism. Carefully examine presented facts - have they been selected or ‘’twisted to back up a particular viewpoint? Also you can do some research on the individual quoted and decide if they are a reliable source of information.
11. Report Fake or Fraudulent Websites
We encourage you to report fake websites. Here’s where to report malicious websites:
Google – Safe Browsing Mozilla – Protect the Fox
Microsoft gives its users an opportunity to report malicious sites within its browsers. To do this go to the Tools/Safety menu, select Phishing Filter/SmartScreen Filter and click “Report Unsafe Website.”
Resources
Journalist’s Resource
Journalist’s Toolbox
ACE Electoral Knowledge Network
Poynter.
Reporters Committee
Foreign Journalists’ Guide to the 2020 Elections
Committee to Protect Journalists
Women Reporting on the Frontlines in the U.S.
Federal Election Commission