Sign the CHASE Code of Conduct. Display your e-badge. Show your audience where you stand.
70% of women journalists and activists have experienced online violence in the course of their work, one in four has been targeted with AI-assisted abuse including deepfakes and manipulated content, and four in ten women facing online harassment now also experience real-world harm, a rate that has more than doubled since 2020.
What could media organizations do to improve these statistics and make online spaces safer?
It is with this question in mind that we developed the Code of Conduct with our partners. The C.H.A.S.E Code of Conduct is a human-rights-based framework that we have formally launched to support media organisations in preventing and addressing online gender-based violence. The Code of Conduct offers a practical remedy for the shortcomings of platforms in systemically mitigating risks of gender-based harms.
Signatories of the Code of Conduct commit to ten concrete obligations, including zero tolerance for gender-based online violence, responsible moderation practices, staff training, transparent complaint mechanisms, confidentiality protections, and regular public reporting on compliance.
The Code is aligned with EU legal standards including the Digital Services Act, and is accompanied by a structured annual monitoring framework overseen by independent civil society bodies. Organisations that sign and complete the validation questionnaire receive the official C.H.A.S.E e-badge. This is a public mark of their commitment to safer, more inclusive digital spaces. Signing is free and takes only a few minutes.
Take a step to make online spaces safer. Sign the code of conduct.
WAN-IFRA encourages all media organisations and professionals to take a concrete stand: sign the Code of Conduct at chasecodeofconduct.eu/code-of-conduct and claim your e-badge at chasecodeofconduct.eu/e-badge.
The CHASE Code of Conduct is a practical, credible commitment that online media can make, and one that comes with visible recognition in the form of an e-badge.
Join a growing community of responsible media, get certified and be part of shaping safer digital spaces across Europe!
