By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
Some 15 journalists from the North West and South West regions have in a two-day training workshop benefited from knowledge concerning digital security.
The Media practitioners have been schooled on building digital safety and resilience especially in times of crisis.
Organized by Adisi-Cameroon in partnership with the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), the training which ran from Thursday June 29 2023 till Friday, June 30, 2023in Dschang, West region of Cameroon was aimed at sensitizing the media practitioners from the Anglophone regions in Cameroon on the risks and potential threats to their safety online, which have consequences offline, through media freedom and safety of journalists’ indicators, and build their digital security resilience by capacitating them on ways and means to protect themselves in a proven risky environment.
The activities of the workshop covered the media policy landscape and digital security resilience whereby the journalists present were made to understand the policy and legal frameworks in Cameroon related to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists in Cameroon, the state of media freedom and safety of journalists following the indicators, and the state of the safety of journalists in Anglophone regions.
They were equally equipped with practical knowledge, strategies and skills to identify threats on safety such as surveillance, harassment and how to better protect themselves from risks, threats and attacks related to their work.
According to Paul Joel Kamtchang, the executive secretary of Adisi-Cameroon, digital security is very important for media practitioners especially those in crisis hit zones like the South West and North West regions because they are always facing threats either from separatists or even the security forces. “We have noticed that when journalists are arrested, their phones and devices are being searched. “It is for this reason that we think it is important for one’s personal data to be safe because the journalists’ source of information is supposed to be kept confidential reason why such a workshop to reinforce their digital and physical security has been organized”. he explained
He added that the workshop is going to go a long way help participants on how to use some tools to keep their data safe, know how to secure phones, laptops and other personal gadgets so that it will be difficult for others to access their devices.
Based on some recent Safety assessment findings, it was realized that the media have a critical need to improve their approach to secure their asserts, information and digital systems.
The participants were trained by a digital expert Abongdoh Titus on the digital and physical threats in journalism, importance of protecting sensitive information, best practices for creating and managing strong passwords, techniques for securing online accounts, importance of physical security, digital security tools, encrypted emails and the various open source encryption tools that exist, data protection etc
At the close of the workshop, participants came up with a set of knowledge tools on journalists safety indicators in Cameroon as a means to raise awareness and call to action from policy makers, a set of safety guidelines indicating how to use digital security tools and protect themselves from physical and digital threats, a directory of resources on safety and security both offline and online and they build a network of Anglophone journalists in Cameroon to share information about online safety, risks, threats and means to circumvent.
The journalists resolved in the building and implementation plan of a digital and physical safety roadmap. They expressed joy and satisfaction for having acquired a lot so far as ensuring their physical and online safety is concerned. They promised to disseminate the information to other media organs particularly in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon