The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Media, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, and a renowned UK-based Cloud Security expert, Rasheed Jimoh, have enlightened students at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) Lagos on the importance of integrating Content Development and Tech-security in their journalistic pursuits.
They gave the charge as guest speakers at the NIJ 2024 Students’ Week held recently.
They spoke on the topic, “Cybersecurity for Journalists: Protecting Sensitive Information in a Digital World.”
Speaking on a sub-topic, “Combining Journalism with Online Content Development,” Akosile argued that journalism and online content creation today are more or less the same, saying both are intertwined.
According to him, when we talk about journalism, we are talking about sharing information. This is also what content creation is about. In today’s digital world, you cannot separate journalism from content development. The only difference between both is that journalistic news is professionally packaged as against the other.
Akosile further explained that “If we take it deep down, you will then understand that content development can also be news and can also be journalism. I realised about 10 years ago that mainstream journalism would give way to digital journalism. Traditional media will give way on its own to technology.
“Having this knowledge, the only way a journalist will survive is for that journalist to begin to operate in the digital space. Due to the evolution of the digital age, people now consume news and information primarily through online platforms due to a significant shift in journalism.
He declared that “This transformation poses challenges such as combating misinformation, adapting to professional news format, and maintaining credibility. These are the areas that I think we should begin to look at. There is a lot of fake news around, but then we will get there.”
On his part, RasheedJimoh said, cyber security knowledge was essential for every journalist to help them protect sensitive information and sources.
According to him, Journalists face increasing cyber threats that can compromise sensitive information and sources. Common cyber threats for journalists include phishing and spear-phishing attacks, malware and ransomware, social engineering, and targeted attacks by nation-states and organised crime.
“Hence every journalist operating in the online space must familiarise themselves with the following Secure Communication Tools (SCT), such as end-to-end encrypted messaging, encrypted email services such as ProtonMail, which is a secure email service with end-to-end encryption, and Tutanota, which is also an encrypted email service focused on privacy.
“Journalists must also familiarise themselves with secure file-sharing tools such as Tresorit, which is an encrypted file-sharing and storage service, and SecureDrop, which is an open-source platform for secure communication between journalists and sources.
“Most importantly, there are some Data Protection Techniques (DPT) which every journalist must be willing to learn. First is encryption; this ensures that data remains secure and unreadable to unauthorised users.
“We also have Full-disk encryption tools, such as BitLocker, and FileVault, which involve the usage of strong passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We have password managers such as Bitwarden, LastPass, and 1Password. We also have MFA methods such as authenticator apps, and hardware tokens.
“Aside from this, you must also learn to regularly backup your data by using external drives or cloud services to back up your data and schedule regular backup intervals to prevent data loss.
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“To assess your cyber threats as a journalist, you must adopt these models; first, identify what needs protection. You can do this by determining the most sensitive and valuable assets you have and understanding their potential adversaries, this will enlighten you more on how best to protect them.
“After this, you then assess who might want to compromise your data and why. Assess the risks and implement mitigations, such as regularly reviewing security measures and updating them as needed, while also educating your staff or colleague in the chain of information sharing on the importance of cybersecurity and best practices.”
Also speaking, Crime and Investigative journalist with the THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Sunday Ehigiator, emphasized the importance of discovering purpose in leadership for journalism students.
According to him, Journalists play a crucial role in society as watchdogs, shaping public opinion, and influencing democracy. They must uphold ethical standards, seek truth, and hold themselves accountable.
He said, “To discover purpose, one must self-reflect, listen, learn, and adapt. Purpose evolves and is not just about personal ambition but serving the greater good. Journalists must cultivate empathy, integrity, courage, and collaboration to inspire and motivate others.
“By embracing their leadership role, journalists can build an informed citizenry and hold those in power accountable.”
The high point of the event was the presentation of the Award of Excellence to Mr Rasheed Jimoh and Mr Sunday Ehigiator, by the students for the wealth of knowledge they brought to bear during their presentations.
