Communications Protection for Journalists

Being a journalist today is nothing like it used to be so the issue of communications protection for journalists is especially acute.

Once reporters had to be in the office to file a story or access powerful mobile equipment to do it remotely.

Now every journalist has a pocket-sized supercomputer that keeps everybody connected and works as a camera and video camera.

 

 

Technology can be wonderful. However, it’s a double-edged sword. Journalists are operating today in a world where powerful entities can hack anybody reporting on them in a negative light.

Journalists need secure communications. Reliable exchanges of information are the foundation of their work. Thus sometimes they need to protect sources or even themselves from grave danger.  

Here are some of the features that give today’s journalists the most protection possible.

 

Real End-to-End Encryption for Communications Protection for Journalists 

The best end-to-end encryption providers have systems that can never be compromised. Only the intended recipient will receive the message or call because they have private keys that never leave the device. 

Journalists need smartphone security with ChatMail. It provides an integrated end-to-end encrypted messaging protocol inspired by the world’s leading cryptographers.

Known as ChatMail Advanced Messaging and Parsing Protocol, this unique protocol encompasses PGP and Elliptical Curve Cryptography.  So journalists feel confident their instant messages are always protected. 

On a technical level, the Key Exchange utilizes the Double Ratchet Algorithm. It combines the cryptographic ratchet based on the Diffie-Hellman key exchange and a ratchet based on the key derivative function.

All journalists need to know is that their messages, phone conversations, contacts, photos, and more will be safe.

 

Extra Features Galore

In addition to robust encryption, journalists need features that go above and beyond to ensure their communications are secure. Here a few of the best ones:

• Self-Destructing Messages/Pictures/Notes: Destroys the content on both devices after a set amount of time, and the content can’t be saved, forwarded, or favorited. 
• Tamper Proof: Set an optional duress password, so the phone automatically destroys all sensitive data if someone tries to break into the phone.
• Encrypted Photos: No cached image data.

Journalists also need these encrypted features to work in multiple languages, as they need to stay in contact with people around the world.

 

Ease of Use

Finally, encrypted smartphones with advanced security features need to be easy to operate quickly. If a news story breaks out and a journalist needs to snap a photo right away, they may not get time to jump through security hoops. 

If encryption takes so long to navigate that journalists lose a story because the time for a photo or a phone call has passed, they can’t do their jobs properly.

One-touch Access to notes, pictures, contacts, voice, and pictures messages is crucial for journalists.

The modern communication tools that we all carry around with us are very powerful, and when used properly, they can help journalists tell important stories in ways they couldn’t before.

But they need modern encryption and smart safety features to ensure their privacy and safety and their sources’.