A total of 119 women media professionals were surveyed for the study When Artificial Intelligence Turns Hostile: Gender-Based Threats Against Ukrainian Women Journalists. The findings were presented on December 18 in Kyiv. The study was conducted in partnership with UNESCO with the support of Japan.
Artificial intelligence is becoming an integral part of work in many sectors. Criminals are using it as well. Deepfakes, voice alteration, and AI-generated images are used to collect personal data, damage reputations, steal money, and exert psychological pressure.
70% of attacks occur on Facebook
Researchers from the Women in Media NGO found out the challenges faced by newsrooms, assessed their readiness to respond, and outlined the gaps that need to be addressed to make the online space safer.
Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Representation in Ukraine, emphasized that this is the first study in Ukraine to analyze how artificial intelligence is transforming the media landscape and what threats it poses to women journalists.
Liza Kuzmenko, Head of Women in Media and author of the study, noted that one in fifteen respondents said they had personally experienced online attacks created using AI. Another 16% reported witnessing such attacks against their colleagues. Notably, 70% of these attacks take place on Facebook.
The most common forms of attacks include:
- Gender-based disinformation
- Impersonation (creation of fake accounts)
- Memetic campaigns (the spread of memes)
- Swarming (mass harassment of someone).
“Life is increasingly moving online, and so are crimes. Women journalists are subjected to online attacks simply because they are women. This is gender-based violence,” Liza Kuzmenko said.
Investigative journalist Olena Mudra shared her personal experience of surviving AI-generated online attacks.
You can read the story of the attacks against Olena via the link.
Olena says that publicity and openness help her protect not only herself, but also independent journalism, as attempts to ‘silence’ her and requests to remove materials continue.
Most importantly, despite criminal proceedings being opened, it is unlikely that the perpetrators will be punished.
“The investigator tells me these are new types of crimes. They are difficult to investigate. If I had suffered physical harm, they say it would have been easier,” Olena explained.
A glossary, digital security, and legislative changes are needed
Possible solutions were also discussed during the presentation. Viktor Baiov, Head of the Department for Countering Illegal Content at the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, said that investigating such crimes requires amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, investment in updated technical capacities to detect whether video or photo content is fake, specialist training, and access to expert examinations.
“Forensic examination cannot determine whether a video is fake. Private experts can do this, but their conclusions will not be admissible as evidence in court,” Baiov said.
Olha Kozub, a lawyer working on AI issues at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, said that her team is developing guidelines for the responsible use of AI in various sectors, including the media. She also stressed the importance of critical thinking and information campaigns, especially for older people.
The presented study provides a set of recommendations for the state and law-enforcement agencies, AI developers and digital platforms, media organizations and newsrooms, and civil society organizations to counter online violence and attacks using AI-generated content.
Proposed joint steps for key stakeholders are:
- creating a unified glossary of terms to identify technology-facilitated gender-based violence against women,
- secure data sharing between platforms while ensuring the confidentiality of those affected,
- promoting digital literacy,
- ensuring inclusivity in policies and training programs.
Liza Kuzmenko once again emphasized that meaningful change can only be achieved through joint efforts.
“Women journalists must be able to live without fear — both online and offline,” stressed Chiara Dezzi Bardeschi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Ukraine.