The issue of targeted disinformation and harassment of local elected representatives is a local manifestation of broader societal trends. This report considers how harassment is enabled by new technologies and capabilities to manipulate information. The potential impacts on representative democracy are significant, as self-censoring behaviours and incivility in public discourse coincide to create conditions that stifle democratic debate and effective policymaking. 

The report argues current regulatory protections are inadequate and not sufficiently accessible to meet the immediate needs of targeted individuals and their organisations. To enhance this, a holistic response model is recommended to respond to the specific behaviours, and their social, political and technological drivers.