The Camden New Journal and Islington Tribune is highlighting the problem of online trolling and what could be done about it

This article was published in our ‘Stop The Trolls’ special for International Women’s Day 2025

INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day comes around on Saturday and the New Journal has always made efforts to make the date meaningful.

You may remember in the past we made a little bit of local newspaper history in publishing an entire edition written only by women.

This year, we have worked on a special issue to try and really highlight how men and women can have very difference experiences when using the internet and social media.

In our “stop the trolls” edition, we hope to underline the scale of the problem faced by women when entering the public debate online.

Of course, men get trolled too ­– the disgraceful racist abuse shown to the English footballers who missed penalties in the Euros is an obvious example.

But on a day-to-day level, this is a problem which really does disproportionately affect female politicians, female actors, female singers, female athletes – in fact it may be easier to just say any woman.

There will be comments about how she looks or dresses right through to violent threats.

It is misogyny dealt by emboldened perpetrators who revel in the wild west nature of social media where complaints take an age to process and some sites seem to covet ugly controversy in the name of engagement – rather than purge it.

We have seen it first hand with the New Journal’s YouTube channels, Peeps and Untold London.

While little appears in the comments sections under the films about the way our male journalists look or speak, the same cannot be said for our female reporters, who can often be subjected to rude and undermining messages.

It’s all very well saying journalists should have thick skins but while genuinely constructive criticism is always welcome, there is never a place for this spew of personal abuse.

One commenter makes sure they leave a horrid message on every video we post.

Our experience may be a drop in an ocean compared to the big channels online, but it shows how trolling is becoming baked into the online world whoever you are and whatever your following.

If our issue today (Thursday) can make people think, then our efforts will have been worth it.

There are also signposts to help and advice included.

Please get support if the issues discussed here have affected you.

In producing this edition, we must give heartfelt thanks to the sponsors listed below who have supported us and share our aim to tackle online abuse.

Their help has allowed us to clear slots for our regular advertising to make room for this important project.

They are all showing great solidarity in the call for action.

The abuse must stop.