Viewing traumatic content online: effects and mitigation strategies

With the rise of social media and camera phones, journalists and investigators are increasingly being exposed to traumatic online content. Events such as the Christchurch terror attack or chemical weapons attacks in Syria result in videos of intense human suffering. Journalists often consume this kind of content without thinking about the potential effect on their mental health, and the trauma these videos can impart to viewers is often not fully appreciated. The panel will discuss the potential effects of viewing this kind of media and suggest mitigation and support strategies for those who do this as part of their job.