Dealing with Potentially Disturbing Digital Content – Avoiding Trauma, Guarding Mental Health

Workshop: Dealing with Potentially Disturbing Digital Content – Avoiding Trauma, Guarding Mental Health 

by Jochen Spangenberg, Deputy Head / Innovation Manager, Deutsche Welle

Carrying out digital investigations, e.g., as part of journalistic work or fact-checking, can be potentially traumatizing. It can negatively impact the mental well-being of digital investigators.

The session provides practical examples and advice that can hopefully support digital frontline workers in their daily work, especially those who are reporting on war, conflicts, and other potentially traumatizing events.

Another overall aim of the workshop is to raise awareness about secondary or vicarious trauma and provide tips and tactics to guard the mental well-being of those who have to deal with gruesome or potentially disturbing material online.

Finally, the session is also intended as an opportunity to interactively exchange experiences and talk openly about mental health issues that can result from exposure to digital content.