The NGO Women in Media is launching a survey aimed at collecting the real experiences of Ukrainian women journalists who face new challenges and risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Why this matters
AI brings new opportunities, but at the same time poses serious risks — from online violence and smear campaigns to the spread of fake content. That is why we aim to raise newsroom awareness of these threats, make the issue more visible, develop practical recommendations and support programs, as well as promote policies designed to protect women journalists and encourage the responsible use of AI.
Some examples of AI-driven attacks
The need for this research is confirmed by numerous cases already documented on our Online Attacks Map. For example:
- July 2025: An artificially generated video featuring the son of investigative journalist Olena Mudra was used against her. The video spread false accusations as part of a smear campaign.
- August 2025: A deepfake-style video appeared on Facebook showing well-known TV anchor Alla Mazur allegedly promoting a “varicose vein remedy.” The attackers used a fake voice, altered facial features, and the format of a 1+1 news broadcast. This case illustrates both fraud and medical disinformation exploiting the journalist’s image. It was not the only deepfake involving Alla Mazur; similar cases were also documented with Nataliia Moseichuk and Marichka Padalko.
- June–July 2025: The Telegram channel “Joker” carried out an attack on Dzerkalo Tyzhnya editor-in-chief Yulia Mostova and editor Inna Vedernikova, using AI-generated images with zoomorphic features, false reports about relatives’ deaths, and misogynistic content.
These cases illustrate that AI-enabled attacks bring not only reputational and psychological harm to women journalists but also create dangerous precedents for the entire media industry.
About the survey
The survey focuses on the experiences of women working in journalism. While we value the contribution of male colleagues in countering online violence, this research specifically addresses the gender dimension. All responses are collected confidentially and will be used for research purposes only.
Completing the questionnaire will take no more than 10–12 minutes. Please fill it out by September 10, 2025.
Take the survey: https://forms.gle/w2CVbbvZyKfqqPd2A
This survey is part of a project implemented by Women in Media in partnership with UNESCO and with the support of Japan.