No-one deserves to be abused for doing their job.
We're sure all our readers would agree that it's definitely wrong when police, NHS workers, train conductors, traffic wardens, teachers, shop workers and any of the other people providing a service to the public are abused by the people they are trying to help.
We at the Nottingham Post are providing a news service for the readers in our county, and we're doing the best we can in difficult circumstances - as are many of our readers in their own job or home lives. We'd never compare ourselves to heroes on the frontline of our emergency services, let's make that clear. But traditionally, journalism is an important part of society, whether that's to inform, educate, entertain or hold authorities to account.
Our content goes through a checking process before it is published. We consider whether ideas are viable, reporters go to great lengths to 'stand up' stories, and then stories are given a final check before they are published on our site. Yes, we make mistakes because we're human. We correct mistakes if we need to and own up to them.
Lately, however, there seems to be a chunk of readers who think we're simply making stories up, or writing them just to get clicks. We don't do this. An enticing or interesting headline does not mean the story is 'clickbait' - it's a technique that has been used to draw readers in as long as information has been published and distributed. We want people to read and enjoy our content, therefore we make it as interesting as we can.
When we informed our readers a few weeks ago that schools might be opening on June 1, we were inundated with complaints and criticism on our Facebook page and were accused of fabricating stories. The Prime Minister then announced it would be happening.
When we posted about the new guideline that people could meet one person from outside their household in a park, at a social distance, we were accused of playing with people's lives, writing dangerous content, and ultimately of making it up. Again - this story was true - and verified by several government ministers over the next few days.
Depressingly this sort of unfounded criticism is a daily occurrence. Sometimes though it crosses a line.
Days ago one reader suggested one of our writers should be killed to ‘stop her lying’. Another accused her of sleeping with a well known Nottingham celebrity.
Another told one of our writers he needs “knocking the **** out and one day it will happen. Gobby little ****". And when another asked for permission to use a video clip she was called a ‘rodent ******* ****’ by someone who had no connection to the video.
A reader even started messaging one of our writers, describing his work as ‘council propaganda’ and telling him to move to the area he was writing about - something he had actually done several months beforehand.
And that is truly the tip of the iceberg. An hour doesn’t go by without phrases like fake news and clickbait being thrown at our hard-working journalists, many of whom are battling with spotty broadband in their dining rooms or kitchens to do their jobs.
We are writing this today because some of our reporters have been subjected to awful abuse. Yes, criticism is part of our job and we mostly take it on the chin - you don't go into journalism to be loved by everybody. But some of these examples may go some way to showing you what we're up against.
Finally - it's Mental Health Awareness Week this week. Some of these comments keep people awake at night. Maybe we should all take time to consider what we're doing before we type that message out.
