French media leaders accused of cyber-feminist feminists

Several French media executives were suspended or fired for allegedly coordinating online harbadment via a private Facebook group.

The LOL League, largely composed of men, targeted women writers and feminist activists.

Dozens of people have shared their cyber-bullying experience with the group since it was revealed by the French left-wing newspaper Libération.

Two Liberation journalists are among those suspended.

One of them, Vincent Glad, founder of the group in 2009, apologized on Twitter, saying that he had now realized that "such practices were unacceptable and that" LOL "was not funny at all when it was done in a pack".

Using mainly anonymous Twitter accounts, members of the group made fun of their fellow journalists – many of whom were women. They also made jokes about rape and shared pictures of people photographed on badgraphic images.

Prominent journalists and writers, including Nora Bouazzouni, Slate France journalist Lucile Bellan, and podiatrist Mélanie Wanga, all said they were targeted by the League of LOL.

In a tweet, Florence Porcel, a science presenter, said one group member had called her phone, posing as editor of a "prominent" news program.

He interviewed her for non-existent work and shared the audio of their conversation. "When the recording was made public, I cried with shame for three days," Porcel said.

David Doucet, editor of the French magazine Les Inrockuptibles, confessed to being behind the interview and apologized publicly to Ms. Porcel.

Other people involved in the scandal include journalists and department store executives, including Slate France and public relations firm Publicis.

In a tweet, Alexandre Hervaud, Libération's online publisher, apologized for his involvement, but in a later post, he attacked "those who jump for joy" in his situation.

The release suspended Hervaud and Glad pending an internal investigation.

French Digital Affairs Minister Mounir Mahjoubi called the members of the "League of LOL" "losers".

"It's a group of guys who have the power to make fun of others, except that their mockery has had an effect in real life," Mahjoubi said.