In many countries across the globe, freedom of the press and freedom of expression are celebrated as fundamental human rights. But following the most deadly year for journalists to date, governments — and society at large — must acknowledge how these rights are being chipped away, and what their responsibilities are to uphold the civil liberties of those who report the news.
The Dart Center is involved in a variety of press freedom-related activities, including helping to spearhead the Global Safety Principles and Practices campaign on behalf of freelance journalists, supporting news organizations in developing countries, implementing initiatives to address psychological safety and spotlighting the cases of individual journalists targeted with violence.
Dr. Anna Feigenbaum, author of the book Tear Gas: From the Battlefields of World War I to the Streets of Today, shares a riot control primer for journalists covering protests across the United States.
Covering civil unrest can be frightening and dangerous. A crowd may turn violent with little warning and police can target journalists or mistake them for rabble rousers. It’s particularly challenging to maintain social distancing during a riot, so take extra precautions to stay on the edge for quick exit. Bring extra masks, gloves and sanitizer for gear.
Everybody will end up losing if hate speech is left unchecked.
Journalists are increasingly being targeted through their email. Virtually every hack of an individual reporter or entire news organization starts with a relatively simple attack: phishing and spear phishing. Prepare yourself for this eventuality with this e-mail hygiene guide from the Freedom of the Press Foundation.