When you get abusive comments as in this response to a tweet, the journal Nature recommends simply going offline. | Image: Screenshot Twitter

In a recent article, Nature offers a toolkit for scientists who are victims of online harassment. “Science is no stranger to heated debate, and this process is fundamental to scientific integrity”, reads the article. Scientists working on climate change or health – including vaccines and Covid-19 – are particularly in the firing line. If harassed, they may refrain from sharing their expertise on social media. To avoid this, Nature advises scientists to protect their social media accounts, to check what personal information is available online, not to share offensive content, to document abuse or to take a step back by logging out.