Digital networks and collaborations: addressing violence against journalists and building resilience

Though Latin American nations have some of the highest rates of violence and killings of journalists, countries in the region also are known for protection legislation, policies, and strategies for those in the profession that are deemed models around the world. This chapter studies some of the most groundbreaking campaigns in the region that amplify initiatives for social change and that build psychosocial networks in the profession. It also studies how collaborations have aimed to address the violence and impunity to empower journalists to do their work and analyzes the limits of these efforts. It ultimately shows how resilience could be built from these collective activities and how this could impact communities of journalists and their ability to persist and at times, thrive. Finally, this chapter analyzes how sustainable these initiatives are and acknowledges that support often comes from outside of the country or Latin America region. Future research should systematically examine how journalists are using online and digital platforms to reduce risks both on and offline and the degree that networked and collective action contributes to resilience and how these initiatives must constantly be revisited as technology, dark network actors, and conditions change.