Hyderabad: The Forum for Good Governance (FFGG) has written to Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy to take immediate and decisive action to protect journalists in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. FFG general secretary Padmanabh Reddy in his letter aso said that the Telangana Cyber Crime Police and Cyber Security Bureau should respond swiftly to complaints filed by journalists regarding abuse and threats.
“The safety of journalists and the preservation of press freedom are crucial for the health of our democracy. Over the years it is observed that press freedom is rapidly declining in India in general and in two Telugu states in particular. Press freedom is a fundamental principle that allows journalists and media organization to operate without censorship or Government interference,” said the Forum for Good Governance in its letter,
Padmanabh Reddy said that there are increasing instances of organized online trolling, harassment and physical threats directed at journalists in Telangana. “This malicious trend not only undermines press freedom but also poses a significant threat to the safety and security of journalists who play a vital role in upholding democracy,” said the FFGG.
The non-governmental organisation added that journalists in Telangana are increasingly being targeted through online harassment, trolling and abusive language simply for reporting news. Padmanabh Reddy also said that social media wings of political parties are “orchestrating organized troll farms and war rooms” to target journalists, subjecting them to relentless online abuse.
In order to address the issue, FFGG has suggested the Telangana government form a committee to investigate online trolling of journalists, particularly women journalists, and take necessary actions. It aso recommended experts to identify and dismantle troll farms and “uncover” social media connections of political parties and other vested groups.
“The IT industry should work to identify and take action against trolls, both named and anonymous, especially those with technical backgrounds,” said FFGG.
