Online security workshops in US Journalism Schools

Reporters Without Borders is bringing its 10 years unique expertise on online security issues in the most prestigious American journalism institutions by organizing workshops at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on February 26, at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism on February 27, at New York University Journalism Institute on February 28 and at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism on March 1, 2013. These workshops are reserved for the schools students. Only the workshop at the National Press Club is open to the public. During the workshop, the journalists will learn to be aware of mobile phone tracability and communications interception possibilities, to be aware of metadata, to erase deleted data, to be aware of dangers on public wifi networks, to prepare their computer to travel in at risk countries and to encrypt data to protect information and sources. After the workshop, the journalists who attended will keep access to an arsenal of resources and softwares to use. Since a decade the press freedom organization works on internet freedom issues and have been organizing online security workshops for journalists and citizen-journalists in South East Asia and in the Middle East for many years. As the recent New York Times hacking reminds us raising awareness on online security issues among journalists is a priority. In order to preserve access to sensitive information and to protect their sources, reporters need to be aware of basic online security issues and easy-to-use tools to protect their work. This expertise is not just necessary for reporters' safety, but also for ensuring the protection of sources, a cornerstone of a free press. Workshop teacher Stephane Koch, Senior Online Security advisor for Reporters Without Borders since 2003, will lead this workshops series. Koch has taught in many schools in Europe (including the School of Economic War in Paris and the Journalism School in Lausanne, Switzerland). Koch also serves as a consultant on online social networking, media strategy and information security. In 2011, he organized a four day workshop in South East Asia with Reporters Without Borders on information security for local journalists in the region. He animated a workshop at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in March 2012. And he just animated a similar session for journalists in Egypt. Contact: Delphine Halgand - [email protected]