Global Hating

A Global Witness investigation based on a survey of 468 climate scientists reveals that online abuse is common, particularly for those with high academic output and media visibility. The report highlights that women are disproportionately targeted with sexual violence and personal attacks. This harassment leads to mental health issues, productivity loss, and a 'chilling effect' where scientists become less likely to engage in public discourse. The document identifies Twitter and Facebook as primary venues for abuse and calls for reforms to social media business models and content moderation to protect scientists and ensure the flow of critical climate information.

• Online harassment is prevalent among climate scientists, with 39% of all polled scientists (183 out of 468) reporting experience with abuse. The likelihood of abuse increases with academic productivity and media presence: 49% of those with more than 10 publications have faced abuse, and 73% of those appearing in the media at least once a month have experienced it.
• Female climate scientists face distinct and more severe forms of harassment compared to men. Women are three times more likely than men to be targeted based on age, and 13% of affected women reported threats of sexual violence. Additionally, 34% of affected women reported their sex or gender was targeted 'a great deal or a fair amount', compared to only 3% of affected men.
• Online abuse has significant negative impacts on the health and professional productivity of scientists. Reported effects include anxiety (51%), depression (21%), and sleep problems (32% of women). Furthermore, 48% of harassed scientists reported a loss of productivity, and 8% have received death threats.
• Harassment creates a 'chilling effect' on public communication, with 41% of affected scientists stating they are now less likely to post about climate issues on social media. Some scientists report withdrawing from public spaces to 'safer' platforms like Mastodon, which may hinder the ability to explain climate science to the general public.
• Social media platforms, specifically Twitter (cited by 44% of abused scientists) and Facebook (31%), are the most common venues for harassment. The report argues that the business models of these companies, which prioritize high-engagement content like anger and misinformation, contribute to the spread of abuse.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Global Hating. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/digital-threats/global-hating/

Chicago

Global Witness. Global Hating. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/digital-threats/global-hating/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Global Hating |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/digital-threats/global-hating/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitnessndglobal, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Global Hating}}, institution = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/digital-threats/global-hating/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }