Online security for activists

Political and social activists often need to protect their identities and to be able to talk without being overheard. The risks they face, and responses they must take, continue to evolve. News about the increasing use of monitoring and spying by security services is fair warning: dissenters are highly likely to be monitored.

The Guardian (UK), which has had many scoops on Edward Snowden and national and international spying, has published an article with "21 tips, tricks and shortcuts to help you stay anonymous online"

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/06/tips-tricks-anonymous-privacy "Avoiding being tracked online is nearly impossible, but here are a few ways to reduce the risk".

For LGBTI activists (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and others), revealing their gender identities can be deemed illegal in many countries. This guide for LGBTI activists in sub-Saharan Africa therefore provides clear warnings about the dangers faced. 

"Digital security tools and Tactics for the LGBTI community in Sub-Saharan Africa" provides a free set of tools and guides which it dubs "Security in a Box".

While these methods are designed for a specific community, most can be used by activists for other causes and in other locations. 

The areas covered are:

Part I – Context

Introduction

Digital attacks against the African LGBTI community

How to assess your digital security risk

Part II – How-to Booklet

Protect your computer from malware and hackers

Protect your information from physical threats

Create and maintain secure passwords

Protect the sensitive files on your computer

Recover from information loss

Remove hidden metadata from files

Destroy sensitive information

Keep your Internet communication private

Remain anonymous and bypass censorship on the internet

Protect yourself and your data when using social networking sites

Protect yourself and your data when using LGBTI dating sites

Use mobile phones as securely as possible

Use smartphones as securely as possible

Use Internet Cafés as securely as possible

Direct link: https://www.securityinabox.org/communities/02
(via 76crimes.com).

How to be an investigative journalist

How can a journalist get attention these days? Bloggers and the general public are swamping the breaking news cycle with tweets and photos from their mobile phones; companies are developing their own media content; and public relations practitioners outnumber reporters. It can be hard for a news reporter to get their head above the hype.
For the lucky few with the time, money and requisite skills, investigative journalism promises not only headlines but also infamy. But even if you have the time and inclination, how can you become an investigative journalist? UK newspaper The Guardian has put together a masterclass seminar with award-winning writers and professional snoops. They will explain how to find information and outfox the powers that want it hidden. This event occurs on November 30 in London and will cost £139, or £109 if you book early.

The Guardian hosts a series of other learning opportunities through the year. If you cannot make the introduction to investigative journalism, how about the digital journalism bootcamp? This costs a bit more, at £299, but is being held after work over four weeks in November (5, 12, 19 and 26 Nov.).

You can keep in touch with forthcoming learning opportunities by email, or follow @guardianclasses on Twitter.

The image above is from the London Journalism Centre, which offers a number of courses including politics, fashion and travel writing, among others.

8 things every journalist should learn

There are so many different types of journalists that defining the curricula for journalism students can be a hot topic. Journalism includes small-town, all-purpose reporters; multi-purpose, multi-media workers; interactive data journalists and researchers; and specialists in many subjects.

Olga Khazan, writing in The Atlantic, proposes several common-sense core topics that should be in the toolbox of any journalist. Here are the headlines, with some thoughts of my own

1. Statistics
2. Data
3. Experiments and sampling (i.e. how to interpret studies)
4. Marketing (not only pitching stories and understanding public interest and e.g. viral media, but also handling pushy PR people and separating story angles from spin)
5. Civic issues (human and civil rights and media law should also be part of this)
6. Online writing (add broadcasting, video, audio and photography) 
7. The internet - how it works and why (include privacy and research techniques)
8. Plus: how about some basics, like story construction (5Ws+H, story pyramid, human interest), note-taking, writing techniques, hygiene (spelling, grammar, house style) and maybe even basic computer skills (keyboard, software etc.); plus some broader issues such as how to build rapport with readers, an understanding of human rights and journalistic rights, and a sense of ethics and obligation to match with your potential impact as an authority figure, commentator, critic and - perhaps - advocate (for a recent debate on the difference and merits of each, read this piece in The Guardian).

What do you think should be in every journalist's toolkit?

Training for rock stars

Want to be trained by ACDC?
No, not the Australian rock band, but the African Centre for Development Communication.

ACDC provides a range of communications training courses for non-profit executive managers of communication functions and others. The aim is to hone managerial and communication skills and learn new strategies for using communications more effectively. Networking with local and international Communicators is a bonus. "Participants not only become stronger strategic communicators, they also learn to build the capacity of their organizations to use communications to reach their social change goals."

Course participants and trainers explore communications building blocks including planning and tactics, evaluation and fundraising. Of course social media is covered, as well as evergreen topics such as presentation delivery, media interviews and storytelling.

ACDC recommends the course for communication and PR managers and others responsible for strategic communication in non-profit organizations including governments, civil society organizations,training and research institutions, faith-based organizations and donor organizations. 

Courses are held in Nairobi, Kenya. Learn more here: http://goo.gl/yyQPBo

Africans launch digital news contest

The first competition for digital news innovation in Africa has just been launched and closes in July. Winners will be announced on 10 November 2012.

Winners get cash prizes of up to $100,000 plus business, technical and marketing support. Finalists will be invited to a camp in Tanzania in August for workshops with mentors and industry experts.

Proposals can be submitted by news pioneers anywhere in the world, though they must have an African media partner to help develop and test the innovation.

This innovation challenge focuses on journalism and the news media. The organizers are looking for disruptive digital ideas for improving the way that news is collected and disseminated. This includes tools or strategies that use the Internet, mobile platforms, data driven journalism, computer assisted reporting, digitally augmented reality, or other electronic means to improve the relevance and impact of news media. 

Winning ideas should be focused on providing pragmatic solutions to real challenges facing African media.

Innovations are being sought in four broad categories: news gathering; story telling; audience engagement; or the business of news. Within these categories, the judges will look for ideas with the following goals:

1. Strengthen existing media platforms, or harness new digital platforms for engaging audiences and transmitting news other journalistic content.
2. Improve the way news reaches audiences, from traditional circulation / airtime management to newer disruptive ‘cross platform’ channels.
3. Amplify the relevance and usefulness of news by improving the immediacy, depth and accuracy of journalistic content.
4. Enhance the impact and ‘shelf life’ of news by extending its influence and intrinsic value for both audiences and content services.
5. Deepen media’s understanding of its audiences and markets by improving user analytics, audience profiling and market segmentation.
6. Boost the media’s resource base by diversifying business models, developing new revenue streams or improving operational efficiencies.

Finalists will be invited to the OpenNews Camp in Zanzibar, Tanzania, in August for one-on-one workshop sessions with business development mentors and other industry experts. Finalists will use these sessions to refine and strengthen their proposals, as well as develop implementation plans and budgets ahead of final judging.

Winners will receive cash grants of between $12,000 and $100,000, plus additional business development support, technical mentorship, and marketing support. Winners may also be offered opportunities to pilot their projects in AMI member newsrooms and showcase the results at international conferences or to venture capital funds.

All entries have to be made on the competition website: http://africannewschallenge.org

The African News Innovation Challenge (ANIC), is a pan-African contest designed to support digital innovation and experimentation that improves the quality and impact of African journalism. It that aims to accelerate innovation in news organisations by funding transformational ideas and then continuing to support them through a network of peers and advisors. It encourages new digital tools and techniques for ‘making’ news, new ways for audiences to engage with news, and new models for media organisations to sustain themselves. The idea is that the contest will support new media experiments and digital news startups in data driven journalism and investigative reporting, newsroom management, audience engagement, digital convergence and media business models.

ANIC is modelled on the Knight News Challenge in the USA, customised to address the challenges facing African media.

ANIC is run by The African Media Initiative (AMI), the industry association that is Africa’s largest umbrella body of media owners and executives.  AMI’s mandate is to serve as a catalyst for strengthening African media by building the tools, knowledge, and technical capacity for the media to play an effective  ‘public interest’ role in African society. This includes assisting with the development of professional standards, financial sustainability, technological adaptability, and civic engagement.  AMI believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged.  

ANIC funds news experiments and digital media startups in order to help cover the costs of developing, testing and scaling a new digital news venture or product.

Good luck!

How to advocate with video

Advocacy group WITNESS has posted a series of video tutorials on ways to create and use video for advocacy, especially during civic unrest.

They start with a set of basic videos on filming tools and techniques, including camera work. http://www.witness.org/training/resources/filming-tips-techniques

Witness also provides a set of videos focused on advocacy. These are designed for first time users of video for advocacy and as a refresher for experienced practitioners. The videos are 3-5 minutes long and highlight the strengths and challenges of using video for human rights advocacy as well as key items to consider before you pick up a camera. Topics include using mobile phones to take videos, conducting interviews, and editing and distribution. http://www.witness.org/training/how-to-videos

P.S. You might also like these entries: 

198 ways to protest
How to film a revolution
Using video to communicate

How to film a revolution

The Occupy Wall Street protests were a live demonstration of various new tools and techniques, including the use of social media as a coordination mechanism and using 'citizen video' to document events.

The NY Times wrote in December 2011 about the influence of live video in the protests. Two weeks later, the video above, by Corey Ogilvie and Andrew Halliwell, was uploaded to YouTube in order to guide people filming protests, about how to maximise the information collected while minimizing the risk of injury and arrest.

This prompted social media student Chris Rogy to write a blog in April about 'how to film a revolution'. Rogy mentions 'Top 10 tips for filmmakers at protests' by the NGO Witness ('Video for Change'). Witness asks for your ideas on further tips (the correct link is: http://bit.ly/uWdkXI).

Tips for gathering video:

1. Prepare: know your equipment, know whether you have the legal right to film, etc.
2. Film with deliberation (plan shots and think about the video as much as the action)
3. Keep filming
4. Capture details and incidents (e.g. including places, times, names if relevant)
5. Work as a team with others taking video (see video above).

Tips for using your videos:

1. Use brief, descriptive titles.
2. Add a description about the contents such as date, time, place, event etc.
3. Use tags e.g. #arrest, #protest etc.
4. Beware of identifying vulnerable people e.g. use blurring, cropping if necessary. Get legal advice if unsure.
5. Keep a copy of the video in case it is blocked or deleted online.

Stay safe!

P.S. You might also like:
198 ways to protest
How to advocate with video
Using video to communicate