The Associated Press has dismissed news associate Emily Wilder for violating the company’s social media policies, a decision that has drawn widespread criticism from journalists. Wilder, who is Jewish, had been targeted by right-wing media outlets for her pro-Palestinian activism during her time at Stanford University.
Wilder confirmed to the Guardian that she was terminated for breaching AP’s social media rules between her start date on May 3 and her dismissal. She stated that the AP did not specify which tweets violated its policies. An AP spokesperson said the firing was due to violations that could compromise the organization’s ability to report fairly on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Right-wing outlets, including the Washington Free Beacon and Fox News, highlighted Wilder’s past Facebook posts critical of Zionists and her hiring amid the conflict. The Stanford College Republicans had tweeted a thread about her activism, which was amplified by Senator Tom Cotton. Wilder had tweeted 18 times since starting at AP, mostly retweets, with one post questioning media objectivity in covering the conflict.
The News Media Guild, which represents AP staff, is investigating the firing. Journalists have expressed solidarity with Wilder, with some contrasting her treatment to that of CNN’s Chris Cuomo, who faced no major disciplinary action for advising his brother, Governor Andrew Cuomo, on sexual harassment allegations.
