Khabar Lahariya Develops Feminist Digital Platforms to Combat Gendered Misinformation

In a digital landscape rife with targeted disinformation campaigns and gender-based harassment, a growing movement of technologists, journalists, and activists is constructing feminist digital infrastructures to combat these challenges. These initiatives are creating safer online spaces for women and marginalized communities who disproportionately face abuse in digital environments.

Khabar Lahariya, a rural women-led news outlet operating in India’s northern states, exemplifies this approach through its transformative journalism. Founded in 2002 as a local Hindi newspaper, the organization has evolved into a digital-first news platform where Dalit, Muslim, and tribal women report on issues often overlooked by mainstream media.

“Our reporters aren’t just covering stories; they’re challenging entrenched power structures by their very presence in public spaces traditionally dominated by men,” explains Kavita Devi, one of Khabar Lahariya’s founding members. “When women from marginalized communities hold microphones and cameras, they’re asserting their right to shape the narrative.”

The digital transition hasn’t been without challenges. As Khabar Lahariya’s reporters gained visibility online, they became targets of coordinated harassment campaigns designed to silence their reporting on caste discrimination, gender-based violence, and political corruption.

This experience mirrors a troubling global trend where women in public-facing roles face disproportionate levels of online abuse. A 2021 UNESCO study found that 73% of female journalists have experienced online violence, with women from minority backgrounds facing even more severe and frequent attacks.

“Gendered disinformation isn’t just about individual harassment,” notes Dr. Samantha Collins, a researcher specializing in digital rights at the Oxford Internet Institute. “It’s a systematic attempt to undermine women’s credibility and participation in democratic processes.”

The implications extend beyond personal harm. When women and marginalized communities are driven from online spaces, public discourse becomes less representative and democratic institutions weaker. Research by the International Center for Journalists indicates that nearly 40% of women journalists have temporarily withdrawn from online engagement due to harassment, creating what experts call a “silencing effect.”

In response, feminist digital infrastructure projects are emerging globally. These initiatives go beyond surface-level content moderation to rethink how digital spaces are designed and governed.

“We need to move beyond the false binary of free speech versus safety,” argues Anjali Ramachandran, co-founder of the Digital Rights Collective in Mumbai. “Feminist infrastructure means building platforms where everyone can participate meaningfully without fear, not just those with privilege and power.”

This approach encompasses technical solutions like community-owned servers, decentralized content moderation systems, and privacy-enhancing tools. Equally important are governance structures that center the experiences of marginalized users.

For organizations like Khabar Lahariya, building feminist infrastructure includes creating internal support systems for reporters facing online abuse, developing digital literacy programs for rural communities, and collaborating with technologists to design safer digital news platforms.

“Technology isn’t neutral,” says Meera Jatav, Khabar Lahariya’s digital editor. “The platforms we use were largely designed by privileged men who haven’t experienced the kinds of harassment we face. We need technologies built with our needs in mind.”

Industry experts point to economic challenges as a significant barrier. Feminist digital infrastructures often struggle to secure sustainable funding in a technology landscape dominated by profit-driven models.

“Venture capital rarely flows to projects centered on safety and inclusion,” explains Marina Gorbis, Executive Director at the Institute for the Future. “There’s a fundamental tension between platforms designed to maximize engagement and those designed to prevent harm.”

Despite these challenges, initiatives like Khabar Lahariya demonstrate the transformative potential of feminist approaches to technology. Their work has expanded democratic participation in rural India, creating pathways for marginalized communities to exercise their rights to information and expression.

As digital spaces become increasingly central to civic participation, advocates argue that feminist infrastructure isn’t optional but essential for functioning democracies. This perspective is gaining traction among policymakers, with the European Union’s Digital Services Act incorporating provisions that address gendered online harms.

“We’re not just building alternative platforms,” concludes Kavita Devi. “We’re reimagining what the internet could be if it served everyone equally. This isn’t just about women’s rights—it’s about creating digital worlds that reflect our highest aspirations for democracy and equality.”