News, source protection and online communication security

Conference: The Future of Journalism Conference

Dates: 10-11 September 2015

Abstract:

Classified information leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013 exposed excessive government surveillance by the NSA and GCHQ. It sparked global outcry and garnered attention on how ordinary citizens might protect themselves from privacy intrusion. It also highlighted how mass surveillance threatens to undermine journalists' ability to effectively do their work.

This paper examines news discourses about online communication security and surveillance circumvention practices in the aftermath of Snowden's revelations - specifically usage of encryption tools and the Tor network. It will begin by offering a thematic overview of how communication security techniques are reported - including what types of events trigger such considerations, what is purportedly at stake when it is reported, and who is advantaged by it. In so doing, the paper will highlight tensions in news discourses about communication security practices. It will argue that this contradictory depiction of communication security serves to restrict uptake of practices that can help challenge excessive privacy intrusion exerted by surveillance agencies and corporations.

The paper will then turn to a textual analysis of news reports and editorials describing use of encryption and Tor/Tails by journalists to protect sensitive information and source communication. These accounts are important since they signal journalists entering a public debate about their own vulnerability in the face of mass surveillance, calling for renewed attention to and protection of journalism practices. The paper will conclude by discussing the need for greater interdisciplinary work to enhance protection of journalists, their sources, and the rights of ordinary citizens.

Source: Manual