Italy: Anti-Vaxxers Barrage Journalist Linda Di Benedetto With Sexist Insults and Intimidation
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns attempts to discredit the health reporter through insults and misuse of her image
Location: Italy, Milan
Date: July 7, 2023
Online anti-vaccine commenters resorted to sexism and sharing journalist Linda Di Benedetto’s photos to undermine her reporting. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the misogynistic attempts to smear the journalist and urges social media companies to act swiftly when these incidents are reported.
On July 7, 2023, anti-vaccine Facebook users insulted journalist Linda Di Benedetto after the publication of her interview with cardiologist Professor Furio Colivicchi for Panorama Italy.
Di Benedetto tells CFWIJ that the comments were meant to discredit her reputation as a journalist and intimidate her. “I’m not afraid,” she says.
Commenters sourced images of Di Benedetto from her personal Facebook page and shared them, making sexist comments about her.
Among those responsible for the insults on social media was Fabrizio Zani, a former member of the Italian extreme right during the 70s and 80s. Zani shared photos of the reporter on his Facebook profile and referred to her as a "modest propagandist" and a "journalist of Serie C." He also made derogatory remarks about her appearance, suggesting that she should be ashamed and insinuating that her career success was solely due to her attractiveness.
Di Benedetto repeatedly asked Zani to remove her photographs from his page. Zani told the journalist to look up his Wikipedia page, a reference to his history of arrest for violent terrorist acts, to intimidate her. Despite initially refusing, Zani eventually removed the images of Di Benedetto from his Facebook page.
Under Italian law, if an individual's image is published without permission and causes damage to their reputation, they can request the infringer to stop and seek monetary damages. Penal liability can also arise in cases of reputation damage or defamation.
Di Benedetto — a respected health reporter who frequently collaborates with Panorama and LaNotizia — has previously faced legal threats for her investigative reporting.
Anti-vax groups in Italy
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy has seen an increase in right-wing, conspiratorial groups engaging in organized harassment online. CFWIJ documented several incidents of women journalists in Italy intimidated and harassed by anti-vaccine groups.
One group that has engaged in criminal activity is the V_V movement. Originating in Italy and France, it has launched a "psychological warfare" campaign against Covid-19 vaccine advocates. The group has used social media platforms to spread conspiracies, harass individuals, and promote health misinformation. It has targeted journalists, health workers, and public officials online, defaced health facilities, and disrupted vaccination programs offline.
In November 2021, Italian police conducted searches against 17 anti-vaccine activists linked to a V_V Telegram chat that advocated violence against government, medical, and media figures supporting COVID-19 restrictions. The chat, called "Basta Dittatura" (Enough of the Dictatorship), had tens of thousands of members and was used to organize protests against Italy's health pass. The extremists targeted former Prime Minister Mario Draghi and others, and searches of their homes uncovered weapons and flammable acid.
Meta attempted to curb the group's influence by shutting down accounts and organizing coordinated harassment campaigns in 2021. However, the group has adapted, migrating to Telegram and other platforms.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns attempts to smear Linda Di Benedetto through sexist insults and misuse of her photographs. Anti-vaccine groups in Italy have persistently targeted journalists for reporting on COVID vaccines and attempted to discredit their work. We urge Meta and other social media companies to remain vigilant and remove posts that actively target journalists and engage in harassment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.