Kate Hannah

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s resignation last week came as a surprise to many. But her use of the metaphor “nothing left in the tank” conveyed something of the unacknowledged impact of disinformation, harassment, and abuse that women leaders generally, and Ardern specifically, face.

The Disinformation Project Aotearoa, was set up to observe and analyse COVID-19 mis- and disinformation in order to support New Zealand’s science-informed COVID-19 response. Very quickly, this remit expanded to include the collection, observation, and analysis of harassment and abuse directed towards public figures, politicians, scientists and academics, including the Prime Minister.