Safety of Journalists - Oslo, Norway

During the 2023 Fall semester, I had the pleasure of participating in the international research course "Safety Matters". The course introduces the field of safety of journalists as one of scientific knowledge and institutional practices. The aim of the course is to educate researchers in the analytical and practical tools needed to investigate, understand, and improve journalists’ safety in an ever-evolving, transnational landscape of political, psychological, organizational, digital, and physical insecurity. 

A total of 10 PhD students from South Africa, Brazil, Norway, and the United States participated in the program. At the beginning of the program we each submitted a research proposal related to the safety of journalists. The advisors of the program reviewed all the proposals and selected four research topics to use as proposal topics for research groups. The 10 of us were then split into four groups with each group consisting of individuals from diverse backgrounds. The course will conclude in March 2024 with each group submitting a research paper on their assigned topic. 

My research group consists of three members (myself, a student from Norway, and a student from South Africa) and our proposal topic focuses on "Matching Digital Risk for Journalists and Cybersecurity". Our paper will be a scoping review focused on the digital risks of individual journalists within the United States, European Union, and South Africa. In addition, the paper will focus on international cybersecurity risk management standards/practices and how they compare to digital safety recommendations for individual journalists. We hope to identify how the field of cybersecurity can help reduce the risks and improve risk management processes for journalists and vice versa.  

As part of the "Safety Matters" course the 10 PhD students along with faculty and advisors from academia and industry traveled to Oslo, Norway in late October/early November to meet in person with our research groups, attend seminars, and present our research proposals at the 9th International Conference on the Safety of Journalists hosted by the MEKK research  group at Oslomet. Meeting the other students in the program in person made me even more excited about the work we are doing and the wonderful group of mentors provided valuable feedback and advice about our research projects and research in general. 

The trip to Norway was a wonderful once in a lifetime experience. It was my first time out of the U.S. and the longest I've been away from home. I experienced a ton of new things: riding a tram and train for the first time, seeing (and jumping into) the ocean, watching the Rugby World Championship and cheering on South Africa with the students and mentors from there, exploring the Statue Park, and walking through the King's Palace Garden. I also met people from various countries (South Africa, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and more), cultures, and backgrounds. 

During my time in Norway, I...

• Attended a seminar with the other students about digital safety for journalists.

• Attended an event called Oslo Negativ Photo Festival where we heard a photojournalist, Lynsey Addario, showcase her work and speak about her experience capturing war photos.

• Participated in a hostile environment safety training session hosted by the Aeger Group.

• Attended and presented a paper abstract at the 9th Annual Conference on the Safety of Journalists held at Oslomet by the MEKK research group. 

Based on what I have learned in the course and from the Norway trip, journalists face unique digital risks that can jeopardize their physical and mental safety. I am excited to continue working on this research project going into the Spring 2024 semester. Prior to this course I knew next to nothing about journalism and how important digital security is to keep journalists safe. This course has provided me with so many new experiences, perspectives, and connections that I am extremely thankful for and hope to utilize throughout my research endeavors. I am more aware of the risks journalists face every day and the course has made me more aware of how cybersecurity research can be impactful in various fields. I hope to have more opportunities to participate in international research like this in the future, it provides priceless experiences and knowledge. 

At the Conference on the Safety of Journalists they had a film screening of "20 Days in Mariupol" and I highly recommend to watch it. It is a very graphic film but it shows the experiences journalists go through while gathering information on hostile events. 

The film can be found on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/gvAyykRvPBo?si=oVMcrVZisSO5FcTK