Amy Binns trained as a photographer before spending ten years as a newspaper reporter. She teaches print and digital journalism. Her research is largely around finding practical solutions for difficult behaviour online, which involves working with a wide range of people including media industry professionals, and fellow academics. She still loves a good story and recently researched, wrote and self-published a local history book, Valley of the Chapels, which led her to a new field in feminist history scholarship.
Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more di... more Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more difficult due to changing guidance to court officials, and limited regulatory guidance to media organisations. This has resulted in confusing articles and abuse of journalists. This research examined 138 media reports of 39 UK court cases concerning defendants who claimed to be transgender. The results showed great variation in journalistic practice regarding pro nouns, use of names and terminology. Journalists were asked for the reasoning behind editorial decisions. Stakeholders were also invited to give their opinions on current and ideal reporting practice. Current legal and regulatory guidelines in the UK were reviewed. Guidance is given to enable journalists to report these cases safely and accurately and to assist those teaching student journalists.
‘Trolling’ and other negative behaviour on magazine websites is widespread, ranging from subtly p... more ‘Trolling’ and other negative behaviour on magazine websites is widespread, ranging from subtly provocative behaviour to outright abuse. Publishers have sought to develop lively online communities, with high levels of user generated content. Methods of building sites have developed quickly, but methods of managing them have lagged behind. Some publishers have then felt overwhelmed by the size and behaviour of the communities they have created.This paper considers the reasons behind trolling and the tools digital editors have developed to manage their communities, taking up the role of Zygmunt Bauman’s gardeners in what they sometimes refer to as “walled gardens” within the internet’s wild domains. Interviews were conducted with online editors at the front line of site management at Bauer, Giraffe, IPC, Natmags, RBI and the Times. This article shows how publishers are designing sites that encourage constructive posting, and taking a more active part in site management. Web 2.0 and the spread of broadband, which have made management of fast-growing communities difficult, may themselves bring positive change. As uploading material becomes technically easier, “ordinary” citizens can outnumber those who, lacking social skills or with little regard for social norms, originally made the internet their natural habitat.
Gina Miller shot to fame after taking the British government to court for attempting to force thr... more Gina Miller shot to fame after taking the British government to court for attempting to force through Article 50, the mechanism, which started the Brexit process. It was a case that, like the 2016 Referendum itself, polarised Britain. While Leavers were outraged that their vote to exit the EU was not the final word, Remainers watched with bated breath in hope that their disaster could turn to triumph. In the middle was the previously unknown financier Gina Miller. Articulate, photogenic and unafraid to comment on a controversial issue, she might have been made for the media. Widespread coverage led to her becoming a hate figure online, with two men arrested for making threats to kill her. This study analyses 18,036 tweets, which include the username @thatginamiller, from October 1, 2016 to February 27, 2017, from just before the opening of her High Court case to beyond the Supreme Court ruling on January 26 .
Until now, little was known of John Wyndham. Despite his popularity, his obsessive need for priva... more Until now, little was known of John Wyndham. Despite his popularity, his obsessive need for privacy led to him being known as "the invisible man of science fiction". He redefined the genre with dystopian classics The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos. In Hidden Wyndham, Amy Binns reveals the woman who was the inspiration for his strong-minded heroines. Their secret love affair sustained this gentle and desperately shy man through failure, war, and, ultimately, success. Hidden Wyndham shows how Wyndham's own disturbing war experiences - witnessing the destruction of London in the Blitz then as part of the invading British army in France and Germany - inspired and underlay his dystopian masterpieces. It provides an insight into the lives of men and women who refused to live by the oppressive rules of society in the mid-20th century. Many extracts from his letters are included, along with his own photographs. "Put your hand on your heart sometimes, my lovel...
This project, designed to track hostility to MPs, began in December 2016 and was partly inspired ... more This project, designed to track hostility to MPs, began in December 2016 and was partly inspired by the death of MP Jo Cox. This report, based on early results, was submitted to the Committee for Standards in Public Life as evidence for a review ordered by Prime Minister Theresa May into Intimidation of MPs following the June 2017 general election. We captured tweets sent as @messages to British MPs from December 2016. The figures in this report relate to tweets sent between 18 March and 11 June. These @messages were then categorised as positive, neutral, disagree or hostile using bespoke machine learning software, trained using this specific dataset, to measure the emotion behind the messages people send to politicians. This is a more reliable method than simply searching for keywords, such as profanities. We defined hostility as insults aimed at the person rather than the action or policy.
Online abuse of journalists through comments below articles or on Twitter is now ubiquitous. The... more Online abuse of journalists through comments below articles or on Twitter is now ubiquitous. The tough-minded industry culture means it has generally been dismissed as unimportant, however high-profile cases of rape and bomb threats have given it greater significance. This research, based on a survey of 267 journalists and four detailed interviews, sought to establish what effect it had on them and their behaviour. Results showed women were more likely than men to report often receiving insults or threats, and had stronger emotional reactions to abuse. News reporters were more likely to report abuse than other sectors of the industry, and were more likely to report problems with online gangs. Many described their powerlessness when targeted by organised gangs. Some respondents described serious problems offline and online, including leaving jobs and self-censoring due to fear of abuse.
Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more di... more Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more difficult due to changing guidance to court officials, and limited regulatory guidance to media organisations. This has resulted in confusing articles and abuse of journalists. This research examined 138 media reports of 39 UK court cases concerning defendants who claimed to be transgender. The results showed great variation in journalistic practice regarding pro nouns, use of names and terminology. Journalists were asked for the reasoning behind editorial decisions. Stakeholders were also invited to give their opinions on current and ideal reporting practice. Current legal and regulatory guidelines in the UK were reviewed. Guidance is given to enable journalists to report these cases safely and accurately and to assist those teaching student journalists.
‘Trolling’ and other negative behaviour on magazine websites is widespread, ranging from subtly p... more ‘Trolling’ and other negative behaviour on magazine websites is widespread, ranging from subtly provocative behaviour to outright abuse. Publishers have sought to develop lively online communities, with high levels of user generated content. Methods of building sites have developed quickly, but methods of managing them have lagged behind. Some publishers have then felt overwhelmed by the size and behaviour of the communities they have created.This paper considers the reasons behind trolling and the tools digital editors have developed to manage their communities, taking up the role of Zygmunt Bauman’s gardeners in what they sometimes refer to as “walled gardens” within the internet’s wild domains. Interviews were conducted with online editors at the front line of site management at Bauer, Giraffe, IPC, Natmags, RBI and the Times. This article shows how publishers are designing sites that encourage constructive posting, and taking a more active part in site management. Web 2.0 and the spread of broadband, which have made management of fast-growing communities difficult, may themselves bring positive change. As uploading material becomes technically easier, “ordinary” citizens can outnumber those who, lacking social skills or with little regard for social norms, originally made the internet their natural habitat.
Gina Miller shot to fame after taking the British government to court for attempting to force thr... more Gina Miller shot to fame after taking the British government to court for attempting to force through Article 50, the mechanism, which started the Brexit process. It was a case that, like the 2016 Referendum itself, polarised Britain. While Leavers were outraged that their vote to exit the EU was not the final word, Remainers watched with bated breath in hope that their disaster could turn to triumph. In the middle was the previously unknown financier Gina Miller. Articulate, photogenic and unafraid to comment on a controversial issue, she might have been made for the media. Widespread coverage led to her becoming a hate figure online, with two men arrested for making threats to kill her. This study analyses 18,036 tweets, which include the username @thatginamiller, from October 1, 2016 to February 27, 2017, from just before the opening of her High Court case to beyond the Supreme Court ruling on January 26 .
Until now, little was known of John Wyndham. Despite his popularity, his obsessive need for priva... more Until now, little was known of John Wyndham. Despite his popularity, his obsessive need for privacy led to him being known as "the invisible man of science fiction". He redefined the genre with dystopian classics The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos. In Hidden Wyndham, Amy Binns reveals the woman who was the inspiration for his strong-minded heroines. Their secret love affair sustained this gentle and desperately shy man through failure, war, and, ultimately, success. Hidden Wyndham shows how Wyndham's own disturbing war experiences - witnessing the destruction of London in the Blitz then as part of the invading British army in France and Germany - inspired and underlay his dystopian masterpieces. It provides an insight into the lives of men and women who refused to live by the oppressive rules of society in the mid-20th century. Many extracts from his letters are included, along with his own photographs. "Put your hand on your heart sometimes, my lovel...
This project, designed to track hostility to MPs, began in December 2016 and was partly inspired ... more This project, designed to track hostility to MPs, began in December 2016 and was partly inspired by the death of MP Jo Cox. This report, based on early results, was submitted to the Committee for Standards in Public Life as evidence for a review ordered by Prime Minister Theresa May into Intimidation of MPs following the June 2017 general election. We captured tweets sent as @messages to British MPs from December 2016. The figures in this report relate to tweets sent between 18 March and 11 June. These @messages were then categorised as positive, neutral, disagree or hostile using bespoke machine learning software, trained using this specific dataset, to measure the emotion behind the messages people send to politicians. This is a more reliable method than simply searching for keywords, such as profanities. We defined hostility as insults aimed at the person rather than the action or policy.
Online abuse of journalists through comments below articles or on Twitter is now ubiquitous. The... more Online abuse of journalists through comments below articles or on Twitter is now ubiquitous. The tough-minded industry culture means it has generally been dismissed as unimportant, however high-profile cases of rape and bomb threats have given it greater significance. This research, based on a survey of 267 journalists and four detailed interviews, sought to establish what effect it had on them and their behaviour. Results showed women were more likely than men to report often receiving insults or threats, and had stronger emotional reactions to abuse. News reporters were more likely to report abuse than other sectors of the industry, and were more likely to report problems with online gangs. Many described their powerlessness when targeted by organised gangs. Some respondents described serious problems offline and online, including leaving jobs and self-censoring due to fear of abuse.
Gina Miller shot to fame after taking the British government to court for attempting to force thr... more Gina Miller shot to fame after taking the British government to court for attempting to force through Article 50, the mechanism, which started the Brexit process. It was a case that, like the 2016 Referendum itself, polarised Britain. While Leavers were outraged that their vote to exit the EU was not the final word, Remainers watched with bated breath in hope that their disaster could turn to triumph. In the middle was the previously unknown financier Gina Miller. Articulate, photogenic and unafraid to comment on a controversial issue, she might have been made for the media. Widespread coverage led to her becoming a hate figure online, with two men arrested for making threats to kill her. This study analyses 180,360 tweets, which include the username @thatginamiller, from October 1, 2016 to February 27, 2017, from just before the opening of her High Court case to beyond the Supreme Court ruling on January 26 .
Politicians are known to be targets for some of the worst abuse on social media, including rape a... more Politicians are known to be targets for some of the worst abuse on social media, including rape and death threats. But exactly how bad is it? Who gets it worst? And where is this onslaught of negativity taking us? This article is based on the analysis of all tweets sent as single @messages to British MPs between December 2016 and the general election in June 2017. This dataset of roughly 80,000 tweets was categorised using sentiment analysis software into hostile, disagree and other. The results show little difference in levels of hostility by gender, race or political party. The major drivers of long-term hostility were high profile jobs and criticising Corbyn. Incautious public appearances or tweets resulted in major spikes. Scottish politics also proved more aggressive. The effect of publicity due to high profile jobs on hostility may partly explain the relatively flat relationship between hostility and gender/race, as front bench jobs are more likely to be filled by white men.
Why did this "wild and unchristian place" become a heartland for the dissenters? What made chapel... more Why did this "wild and unchristian place" become a heartland for the dissenters? What made chapel life so all-absorbing? And how did these matter-of-fact rebels change our world?
Refusing to pray the way the Government told them to was only the start of the non-conformist revolution.
Soon their chapels flowered across the landscape as they formed trade unions, built schools for all and campaigned for the vote.
And through it all was an energy and enthusiasm that blossomed in plays and pantomimes, lantern lectures and bazaars, firebrand pulpit performances and heartfelt prayer meetings.
Amy Binns has dug through neglected cupboards and blown the dust off scrapbooks to reveal a forgotten part of our history. And whe you have fallen for the dissenters, maps will let you join the treasure hunt to find the remains of their legacy to us, and look at the buildings you pass every day in a whole new light.
Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more di... more Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more difficult due to changing guidance to court officials, and a lack of regulatory guidance to media organisations. This has resulted in confusing articles and abuse of journalists. This research examined 138 media reports of 39 UK court cases concerning defendants who claimed to be transgender. The results showed great variation in journalistic practice regarding pronouns, use of names and terminology. Journalists were asked for the reasoning behind editorial decisions. Stakeholders were also invited to give their opinions on current and ideal reporting practice. Current legal and regulatory guidelines in the UK were reviewed. Guidance is given to enable journalists to report these cases safely and accurately.
Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more di... more Reporting of court cases with trans-identified defendants has become both more common and more difficult due to changing guidance to court officials, and a lack of regulatory guidance to media organisations. This has resulted in confusing articles and abuse of journalists. This research examined 138 media reports of 39 UK court cases concerning defendants who claimed to be transgender. The results showed great variation in journalistic practice regarding pronouns, use of names and terminology. Journalists were asked for the reasoning behind editorial decisions. Stakeholders were also invited to give their opinions on current and ideal reporting practice. Current legal and regulatory guidelines in the UK were reviewed. Guidance is given to enable journalists to report these cases safely and accurately.
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In the middle was the previously unknown financier Gina Miller. Articulate, photogenic and unafraid to comment on a controversial issue, she might have been made for the media. Widespread coverage led to her becoming a hate figure online, with two men arrested for making threats to kill her.
This study analyses 180,360 tweets, which include the username @thatginamiller, from October 1, 2016 to February 27, 2017, from just before the opening of her High Court case to beyond the Supreme Court ruling on January 26 .
This article is based on the analysis of all tweets sent as single @messages to British MPs between December 2016 and the general election in June 2017. This dataset of roughly 80,000 tweets was categorised using sentiment analysis software into hostile, disagree and other.
The results show little difference in levels of hostility by gender, race or political party. The major drivers of long-term hostility were
high profile jobs and criticising Corbyn. Incautious public appearances or tweets resulted in major spikes. Scottish politics also proved more aggressive.
The effect of publicity due to high profile jobs on hostility may partly explain the relatively flat relationship between hostility and gender/race, as front bench jobs are more likely to be filled by white men.
Refusing to pray the way the Government told them to was only the start of the non-conformist revolution.
Soon their chapels flowered across the landscape as they formed trade unions, built schools for all and campaigned for the vote.
And through it all was an energy and enthusiasm that blossomed in plays and pantomimes, lantern lectures and bazaars, firebrand pulpit performances and heartfelt prayer meetings.
Amy Binns has dug through neglected cupboards and blown the dust off scrapbooks to reveal a forgotten part of our history. And whe you have fallen for the dissenters, maps will let you join the treasure hunt to find the remains of their legacy to us, and look at the buildings you pass every day in a whole new light.