Human Rights Journalists Network trains journalists, CSOs on digital security

THE Human Rights Journalists Network (HRJN) has successfully trained journalists, activists, and civil society organisations from Nigeria and other African countries on digital security. 

The two-day workshop, themed “Digital Security and Resilience Workshop,” took place on Thursday, July 18, and Friday, July 19, 2024. The event was supported by the West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in partnership with Citizens Gavel.

HRJN Executive Director, Kehinde Adegboyega, spoke to journalists after the workshop, highlighting the event's aim to educate journalists on how to protect themselves, especially when demanding transparency and accountability from the Government.

“We understand that every journalist now works within the digital space and needs to know how to protect themselves. Because journalists hold the Government accountable, some face attacks and arrests for what they write. This workshop, supported by the West African Civil Society Institute, addressed these issues. 

“We discussed state surveillance, how journalists can protect themselves, and partnered with Citizens Gavel, an NGO providing pro bono litigation support for journalists. Participants also learned how to develop digital security policies for their organisations,” said Adegboyega.

One of the facilitators, Israel Olatunji, a Data Scientist and Founder of ChatVE, emphasised the importance of journalists familiarising themselves with principles like confidentiality, integrity, and availability to ensure privacy and security in the digital space.

“New threats, such as zero-day vulnerabilities, are emerging. These threats exploit unknown vulnerabilities in devices or platforms, and it’s crucial for journalists to protect themselves,” Olatunji stated.

Oluwadamilare Ayankoya, Tech Lead at Citizens Gavel, spoke about PODUS AI, an AI-powered legal assistant developed to enhance access to justice for Nigerians.

“At Gavel, we strive to speed up the pace of justice in Nigeria. Through tech, we engage citizens and assist with their cases. PODUS AI helps the less privileged get legal insights and connects them to pro bono lawyers,” said Ayankoya.

During his session, Godstime Agho, Web and Programme Digital Manager at HRJN, stressed the importance of using strong passwords to protect devices, applications, social media accounts, and physical assets. He also highlighted the use of Open-Source Intelligence Tools (OSINT) and urged organisations to develop security policy strategies.

HRJN Deputy Director, Blessing Oladunjoye, advised journalists to be cautious online and digitally. She emphasised setting up Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp, Multi-Factor Authentication on email, X (formerly Twitter), and other social media accounts.

“As journalists, due to the nature of our work and the information we gather, there are attempts to limit our work. It is crucial to implement all available security features on our devices and social media platforms to protect our work and interactions,” Oladunjoye stated.