Shielding Journalists: Proactive Measures Against Digital Risks

Working journalists today face an array of digital risks that can compromise their safety, sources, and work. From sophisticated spyware to targeted harassment, the threats are diverse and constantly evolving. This guide outlines crucial steps that journalists can take to protect themselves online. By understanding their unique risk profile, securing personal data, fortifying online accounts, managing social media presence, and preparing for potential incidents, journalists can create a robust defense system.

?1. Know your online digital risk is

Digital risk is the risk you face both personally and professionally from using the internet. But not all journalists have the same level of digital risk. Journalists with a lot of personal data about themselves online and/or journalists who need to be publicly visible for their work are more likely to be harassed. This is also true for journalists working on particular stories or beats. Take steps to protect yourselves and journalists in your newsroom by carrying out a risk assessment. The IWMF has a risk assessment template that you can use.

2. Protect against doxxing

Doxxing is when information, such as your home address or phone number, is posted online as a way to cause harm. Protect yourself by regularly looking yourself up online and remove any personal data you do not want in the public domain. Use DeleteMe as an easy way to take down personal data about you and don’t forget to check internet archive sites, such as the Wayback Machine, and request that they remove your data too.

?3. Fortify your online accounts

Online harassers may try to hack into your accounts to gain control and/or to access your information. It’s important to defend your accounts by turning on an extra layer of protection known as two-factor authentication (2FA). Use an authenticator app instead of SMS as your form of 2FA and make a copy of the backup code, which is a one-time use code that will give you access to your account if you cannot access 2FA. Next, use a password manager to create long passwords, more than 16 characters, and create a different password each time.

?4. Manage your social media accounts

Journalists often use their social media accounts to contact sources and to post their work, but many have not taken steps to secure those accounts. Ensure that you turn on 2FA and create a long password, per our guidance above. Review the privacy settings for each of your accounts and make sure you are happy with the information that is publicly viewable. It is helpful to separate out your work from your personal life by creating professional pages and/or removing information such as family photos, and restricting access to personal contacts.

5. Make a plan

Don’t let online harassment take you by surprise, make a plan for what you will do and who you will contact if you are abused online. Ideally your newsroom will support you with issues around online violence. If you are a newsroom manager, read our Guide to Protecting Newsrooms and Journalists Against Online Violence.

6. Take time out

Online harassment can be an isolating and stressful experience. If you are able, it can be helpful to disconnect. Building strong support networks with others who have experienced abuse can also be useful. The IWMF has a Mental Health Guide for Journalists Facing Online Violence with practical exercises for you to try.

Learn more about our collaboration with DeleteMe and Microsoft's Democracy Forward Initiative here.