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Oscar Björkenfeldt

Oscar Björkenfeldt

Doctoral student

Oscar Björkenfeldt

Impoliteness and morality as instruments of destructive informal social control in online harassment targeting Swedish journalists

Author

  • Oscar Björkenfeldt
  • Linnea Gustafsson

Summary, in English

This study investigates the interplay between morality, impoliteness, and moral order in the online harassment of Swedish journalists on Twitter. It reveals how impoliteness serves as a tool to harm the media's epistemic credibility, rooted in anti-press and populist rhetoric, and exert destructive informal social control. The highlighted paradox is that provisions for freedom of speech, designed to protect, are paradoxically used to suppress journalists' voices through targeted insults and derogatory language. The study uncovers that such harassment is systematic, politically motivated, and morally grounded. We emphasize the urgent need to recognize and confront these subtle tactics that threaten journalistic freedom and, consequently, access to information in Sweden and internationally under growing criticism that seeks to delegitimize the media.

Department/s

  • Department of Sociology of Law

Publishing year

2023-11-17

Language

English

Pages

172-187

Publication/Series

Language and Communication

Volume

93

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Media and Communications
  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Keywords

  • Impoliteness
  • Morality
  • online harassment
  • social control
  • Twitter
  • Anti-press
  • Journalism

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0271-5309