by Clíodhna Purdue, Coimisiún na Meán
It’s clear that journalists are facing increasing online abuse and threats in Ireland and globally. Online abuse directed at journalists is a threat to freedom of expression and can undermine democracy.
In collaboration with the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and An Garda Síochána, Coimisiún na Meán has created a Journalist Information Pack, comprising a PowerPoint and poster in advance of the Presidential election to deliver their crucial role, both during and outside of election cycles.
The PowerPoint includes the following:
- Slide 7: What journalists should do if they experience abuse online
- Slides 8–24: Realistic scenarios that might affect journalists regarding online abuse, and what they can do about them
- Slides 25–33: How to report abusive content to various online platforms and how to report to An Garda Síochána
- Slides 34–37: Supports available for journalists if they experience abuse online.
Coimisiún na Meán’s main message to journalists is that abuse and threats are not part of their job. It’s important to report abusive content online and to let line managers/editors know.
How to Report Guides
To help journalists, and the general public, understand the full journey of reporting illegal and harmful content, Coimisiún na Meán has also released new How to Report guides. This new page contains an overview video that explains the difference between reporting illegal and harmful content to platforms.
There are a further two guides, with screenshots, that show you what to expect if you report illegal or harmful content to various platforms.
While some people may understand how to report, they may not understand what happens afterwards. These guides show you what happens next and outline your rights are if you are unhappy about the platform’s decision to remove or not remove the content. These will be developed on a phased basis, with more guides and videos to come.
It’s important to note that these guides provide examples and information to help the public understand the reporting methods on various platforms as of September 2025. They are illustrative only, do not constitute legal advice and do not represent the views or opinions of Coimisiún na Meán, including as to whether the reporting methods comply with relevant regulatory requirements or otherwise. From time to time, reporting methods on these platforms may change, and we will aim to keep these guides up to date.
We welcome your feedback on these resources by email at usereducation@cnam.ie
