Biden Administration Allocates Millions to Assist Journalists Affected by ‘Harassment Campaigns’

The Biden administration has given approval for a $5 million grant to be awarded to the Expert Voices Together program at George Washington University. The program aims to assist journalists who have been targeted by “misinformation-driven harassment campaigns.” The grant, listed on the government grant database, describes the program as a socio-technical system that provides real-time support to individuals experiencing online harassment.

The funding for the project was initially approved by the National Science Foundation in 2021, with a total of $749,222 allocated. The funding has been continued, with the project set to run until August 31, 2024.

The grant summary highlights the significant impact of harassment campaigns fueled by misinformation on professionals such as journalists, scientists, and public health officials. It emphasizes how this type of harassment undermines confidence in reliable sources of knowledge and reduces expert participation in the political ecosystem.

The initial focus of the project is to support journalists, but it plans to expand its reach to other expert communities as well.