Digital safety

Digital safety

How to respond appropriately to online hate speech

Hate speech is one of the most common forms of online harassment journalists face. In this article, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) gives advice on how to respond appropriately when confronted with this phenomenon. Hate speech is one of the most prevalent forms of online harassment, whether posted on platforms or […]

Digital safety

Why journalists should stay away from Huawei devices

For the past ten years, connected devices from Chinese manufacturer Huawei have been decried as potentially dangerous for their users due to allegations of espionage. In this article, cybersecurity expert Ben Finn assesses for Reporters Without Borders (RSF) the state of play and gives recommendations for journalists to protect themselves […]

Digital safety

A checklist to prevent surveillance and digital attacks

In this article, digital security experts share with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) a checklist for journalists to protect themselves and their sources against surveillance and digital attacks. Cybersecurity is a critical concern for journalists working on sensitive issues, as they are at heightened risk of having their electronic devices hacked […]

Digital safety

Safely back up your data with the “3, 2, 1 rule”

In this article, cybersecurity expert Ben Finn shares with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) why journalists should always back up their files and data, and explains the simple “3, 2, 1” backup rule designed to prevent disastrous data loss. Electronic devices, crucial to the work of journalists, are vulnerable to technical […]

Digital safety

Biometric authentication does not guarantee a device’s safety

Many journalists wrongly think that biometric authentication features, such as fingerprints or facial recognition, are a sufficient way to protect their digital devices. Although this technology has its benefits, it is not sufficient to replace strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Biometric authentication seems secure… A booming trend. Biometric authentication features […]

Digital safety

Tor, the key to anonymously browse the web

Browsing system Tor enables journalists to anonymise their communications and may help access websites that are blocked on the local Internet. This article explains how Tor works and the benefits for journalists to use Tor in conjunction with a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Governments, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), or other […]

Digital safety

Four search engines that don’t track your online activity

Mainstream search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing save your IP address, search queries, and other identifying information which, if accessed by authorities or third parties, could be dangerous to journalists working in unfriendly places. Fortunately, secure search engines exist, and RSF, along with tech expert Ben Finn, has […]

Digital safety

Element, a decentralised alternative to messaging apps

Popular messaging apps are owned by private companies that store users’ communication on their own servers, putting journalists’ information at risk. In order to keep exchanges private, journalists can consider using the messaging application Element, an encrypted alternative that stores all its data on a personal server that uses a […]