Journalist Safety

The digital security of news organizations, journalists and their sources is under threat in many parts of the world. Digital security attacks can range from spyware, account hacking, distributed denial of service (DDoS) and malware, among many other threats. These threats, in addition to their intrusive nature, can also violate journalists’ sense of safety and security, creating a chilling effect and harming the broader information environment.

Policy deliberation: At the governmental level, it is important for policymakers to recognize the very real threats impacting journalists and sources and ensure that digital policy initiatives protect them. However, at the same time, these policies must not threaten freedom of expression, basic privacy rights or encryption and virtual private network (VPN) protections. Additionally, it is often governments that are using spyware against journalists. Governments must not surveil journalists or sources but instead foster an environment that encourages free speech.

Professional support: News organizations must proactively educate their journalists and other staff on cyber threats and provide support for those who are targeted. Journalists need to adopt strong digital security practices, such as multi-factor authentication and basic digital hygiene. Additionally, by sharing experiences of cyberattacks, journalists and news organizations have the opportunity to learn from each other and reduce the impact of these events.

Government: While technology companies can establish and protect human rights and privacy safeguards, they also must navigate challenging state demands. At times, governments pressure companies to provide private data and other information on their users, sometimes through legislation. Although this data may help governments with national security issues, there is a difficult balancing act, as complying with these state demands can also facilitate governments’ abuses of power, and refusing to comply can result in bans or market losses. Technology companies need to ensure that working with governments to protect people does not put fundamental rights at risk.