Security in the Digital Era

What threats do media organizations and journalists working online need to be aware of and how can they protect themselves? Social Media has become a new outlet for political protest and mobilization against combat governmental suppression. The revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East have shown that state censorship can be circumvented and that the Internet can be a driving force for democratic movements.

With the growing use of the Internet as a channel for political communication, activism and journalism, authoritarian governments are becoming increasingly eager to control and silence critical voices by monitoring, filtering and manipulating online communication. In addition to censorship and identity theft direct repressions against bloggers are increasing, not only in countries such as China and Iran. A global digital battle for Internet freedom is being fought and the end is uncertain.

This session aims to give an overview of international methods and trends to monitor the Internet and how journalists and media organizations can protect themselves. Leading questions will include:

• With which methods and instruments do political power-­‐holders try to control, manipulate and suppress online public discourse?
• How successful are governments in controlling and manipulating the Internet? Are there global trends of Internet control? (e.g. propaganda vs. jamming)
• Which approaches and strategies exist to circumvent the controls and to deal with manipulation?
• What support can media development organizations offer to independent media and journalists suffering from governmental control?
• What role are European countries playing in providing the technology behind the surveillance infrastructure (Hadopi / Lopsi in France; filter mechanisms in Turkey)

Speakers:
Fadi Salem – Dubai School of Government/Arab Social Media Report
Thaweeporn Kummetha – Thai Netizen Network

Moderator
Christian Rickerts – Reporters Without Borders

Links:
Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents at RSF
Government 2.0? Technology, Trust and Collaboration in the UAE Public Sector
“The revolution will be tweeted” at NPR
“Small change” at NewYorker

Join in:
If you want to share associated links, questions, opinions, suggestions, etc. feel free to comment on the sessions. Before, during and after FoME 2011 SYMPOSIUM. Or tweet using the hashtag #hypeorhope. Feedback welcome.