This year’s UNESCO World Press Freedom Day theme “Information as a Public Good” focusses on the “indisputable importance of verified and reliable information” and exploring what can be done in the production, distribution and reception of content to ensure journalists can #BeHeard.
During Daesh occupation of regions in Iraq and Syria, local citizen journalists such as Mosul Eye provided a first-hand view to the world of the terror group’s horrific actions, risking their lives to tell the stories of their beloved communities. They provide insight which shows Daesh’s propaganda as hypocritical and empty, and through exposing Daesh’s lies, play a vital role in exposing the cynicism at the heart of Daesh’s operations.
To ensure these vital sources can report as safely as possible the Global Coalition has compiled a list of existing tools available online, many of which are completely free.
Physical Safety – guides to help journalists report with minimal risks to their physical wellbeing.
- Committee to Protect Journalists: advice on reporting on civil disorder such as crowd violence or mobs.
- Muck Rack Blog: advice for journalists covering protests
- Reporters without Borders: a handbook for reporters in high-risk environments.
Psychological Safety – tools to safeguard from trauma and harassment online
- PEN America Self-Care: concrete wellbeing advice for journalists suffering online harassment
- PEN America: this Harassment Field Manual offers concrete strategies on how to defend yourself and others online.
- Committee to Protect Journalists: Psychological safety Guide: a guide for journalists to help them to protect and prepare holistically for threats.
Digital Security – tools to help journalists improve their digital security and reduce online threats
- Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline: supports journalists facing online threats and to bolster their digital safety. In the occurrence of an attack, the helpline can provide “rapid-response emergency assistance” to journalists in need.
- Reporters without Borders Digital Safety Helpdesk: a website containing various digital safety tools for journalists including a newsletter and threat modelling tool in which can create an overview of individual digital threats and get some initial ideas for countermeasures, including for reporters tackling violent extremist organisations.
- Ghostery: a tool which uncovers the trackers on each website and empowers you to control the ones you don’t want for a cleaner, faster, and safer browsing experience.
- HTTPS everywhere: a secure site switching tool which secures websites by automatically using HTTPS rather than HTTP on many sites.
- Online SOS Threats of Violence Action Plan: a document containing responses and considerations for journalists facing threats of violence online.
- NYT Guide to Doxxing Yourself: this guide contains tips and resources for exploring open source intelligence on yourself.
- Committee to Protect Journalists Digital Safety Kit: a kit containing safety notes and tips for journalists.
Social Media – guides for navigating threats on social media platforms
- New York Times Social Media Security & Privacy Checklists: a checklist of best practices in keeping your social media accounts secure, through choosing the right settings.
- TrollBuster’s Social Media Monitoring Service: a tool which monitors social media platforms for the name of a journalist. Should a threat be detected, TrollBusters will support journalists with resources intended to mitigate its harmful impact and help keep journalists safe.
Courses – for developing a range of skills, ensuring personal safety, and raising awareness of a variety of issues online
- International Women’s Media Foundation Know Your Trolls: a course aimed at journalists seeking to identify the source of abuse they are receiving online. Tactics used against journalists and strategies to combat them.
- James Foley Foundation Journalist Safety Curricula: a course which develops journalist safety curricula for both undergraduate and graduate schools in order to better prepare future journalists for their profession.
- Reporters without Borders Online Training: a series of online training courses, best practice and quizzes to help journalists be safer online.
- TrollBusters Digital Defence Security Courses: training modules to help journalists stay safe on and offline.
- Totem: Digital security training for journalists and activists: a platform to help journalists and activists use digital security and privacy tools more effectively in their work. Courses in Arabic, French, and English
- Money Trail: training to enable journalists to safely report on corruption, tax abuse, and other illicit financial activity