Jewish “creatives” who say they were threatened after a Melbourne-based New York Times reporter downloaded and shared their group chat which was then spread by activists are considering suing the media company
Two sources familiar with the case but not authorised to talk publicly confirmed to Guardian Australia that a class action filed in New York was one of the possible avenues being considered.
The information contained in the download of the Jewish Academics and Creatives chat, including about 600 members’ contact details, photographs and social media accounts, was posted online in February.
Jeremy Leibler, the president of the Zionist Federation of Australia but speaking in his position as a partner at law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler, said he was considering legal action on behalf of more than 25 people who claimed they had been doxed.
“In light of the revelations that have now emerged and the serious impact that the doxing of Jewish creatives has had on many people’s employment and mental health, all legal avenues are being explored,” he said.
The New York Times said in a statement that reporter Natasha Frost “inappropriately shared” a download of the WhatsApp group chat with the subject of a story “to assist the individual in a private matter”. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) revealed Frost’s involvement on Friday.
It remains unclear when and how the New York Times were made aware of Frost’s involvement.
“It has been brought to our attention that a New York Times reporter inappropriately shared information with the subject of a story to assist the individual in a private matter, a clear violation of our ethics,” it said in a statement.
“This was done without the knowledge or approval of the Times. We have reviewed the matter and taken appropriate action.”
Frost said in a statement provided by the Times that she “shared this document with one individual”.
“Its subsequent dissemination and misuse happened entirely without my knowledge or consent. I was shocked by these events, which put me and many others at terrible risk. I deeply regret my decision, and I have no plans to comment further.”
The group chat started in October and Frost joined in November, the WSJ reported.
Frost reportedly told an administrator of the group in January that she planned to leave as she did not want to give the perception she would violate the privacy of members and it was likely she would be writing about the journalist Antoinette Lattouf.
Days later, the Times published a piece co-written by Frost with the headline A Post on Gaza Leads to Turmoil at Australia’s Public Broadcaster. The piece was about Lattouf, a reporter who was taken off the air by the ABC after she shared a Human Rights Watch post about the Israel-Gaza war on her Instagram page.
Lattouf’s position at the ABC had been discussed on the group chat and some members used the chat to mobilise a campaign against her, according to media reports. Lawyers for Israel, a separate group chat, also reportedly included discussions of a campaign against Lattouf.
Lattouf declined to comment. She is pursuing an unfair termination claim against the ABC in the federal court.
Details of the group chat started being published online in early February. The chats were posted by several third parties, not by Frost.
One member of the group, the journalist Ginger Gorman, said soon after the chats were posted that the group contained instances of “bullying and harassment”.
Gorman said she had the group muted and was not aware of its contents, but that when details of the chat were published online she was targeted and began copping “online hate”.
Victoria police confirmed to Guardian Australia it is continuing to investigate several allegations made since private details about members of the group was posted online, but not the initial sharing posts of the chat logs themselves, which is not considered a criminal offence.
The WSJ reported three people had made specific complaints to police, but the force would not comment on individual cases.
“Moorabbin crime investigation unit detectives continue to investigate reports that the personal details of a number of people, who belong to a private social media chat group, were released online,” a Victoria police spokesperson said.
“No arrests have been made at this time however the investigation remains active and ongoing so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.
“Throughout the investigation, people impacted were encouraged to report criminal offences to their local police. We are aware that a number of crimes have since been reported to other policing jurisdictions for investigation within Australia as well as overseas.”
