Rights-based research and advocacy organisation VOICE organised a workshop titled Digital Safety and Security held today at Caf茅 Highway auditorium in Manikganj on Saturday.
The workshop was organised with the aim to build capacity of journalists and human rights defenders, said a press release.
Journalists working in local newspapers, television and online media platforms as well as representatives from various human rights organisations participated in the workshop.
Through practical, hands-on sessions, participants received training on multiple aspects of digital safety and online protection, including threat modelling, safe browsing and communication, encryption, two-factor authentication, digital hygiene and privacy awareness.
Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE, said, 鈥楩reedom of expression cannot be sustainable without digital security. Therefore, acquiring digital literacy is now essential to stay safe online.鈥� He added 鈥淔reedom of expression and digital security complement each other. To build a safe digital environment, it is necessary for everyone to enhance their digital awareness.鈥�
The digital safety techniques and strategies were presented by programme officer of VOICE, Priyata Tripura.
She remarked, 鈥業n the digital age, our reliance on online platforms is rapidly increasing. Journalists and human rights activists constantly work with important and sensitive information. Therefore, information security and conscious digital behaviour have become essential to ensure the safety and credibility of their work.鈥�
She also discussed the various challenges faced by media professionals and human rights activists regarding online and digital security, as well as ways to overcome those challenges.鈥�
Digital security expert Tanvir Hasan Zoha said, 鈥業t is extremely important to remain cautious about digital security, especially for journalists and human rights workers. To stay safe, it is essential to use safety tools. At the same time, we must be sensitive and careful ourselves, avoiding the sharing of any personal information without proper verification.鈥�
He added, 鈥楤efore publishing any news, all information, photos, or videos should be verified to ensure the transparency and credibility of the report.鈥�
Participants also identified malicious links, safeguarding mobile devices and social media privacy, and protecting their digital security while reporting in the field; such as by avoiding public Wi-Fi and disabling geo-location tracking at the workshop.
