How a Leak by a New York Times Reporter Led to an Anti-Doxing Uproar in Australia

Early this year, the contents of a WhatsApp group for Jewish creative professionals and academics, set up in Australia after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, leaked and fell into the hands of pro-Palestinian activists.

The WhatsApp group whose contents Frost leaked was created in late October 2023, and was intended to provide support in an environment of heightened antisemitism following the Oct. 7 attacks. It is made up of people with varying political, cultural and religious leanings. Some consider themselves Zionists, a word often used to describe Jews who are staunch supporters of Israel, while others don’t, according to members. Frost, who was invited to the group in early November, was among its earliest members.

While a group administrator indicated in the chat that it wasn’t intended for political debates, there were instances when chat group members veered into advocacy. That included discussions on how to bring comments made by pro-Palestinian activists to the attention of their employers or publishers, when they were deemed by members to be antisemitic.

In December, some members of the group shared a call-to-action to challenge the impartiality of Antoinette Lattouf, a writer who had been given a five-day gig hosting a radio morning show for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Members of another WhatsApp group, for Jewish lawyers, also engaged in a similar effort.