Team - <div><br></div><div>Karen and I were invited by the Knight Foundation to attend the Investigative Reports and Editors Conference in San Antonio this past Wednesday thru Sunday. IRE is an annual conference sought after meeting place for investigative journalists. It was a fantastic opportunity for Tor to <u><b>listen</b></u> and <u><b>learn</b></u> about how journalists view digital safety for themselves and their sources. It was a very full 4 day conference with Karen presenting the basics of Tor 101 and sessions spanning long days. We experienced many "aha!" moments as we saw a glimpse into the world of journalist and how, in many respects, digital safety isn't on their radar. We also made several connections with news organizations and individuals which will help grow Tor's presence as a key resource within the journalist community.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Here are a few highlights:</div>
<div><br></div><div>Sessions worth mentioning:</div><div>Broadcast Surveillance - Learning from the Pros</div><div>Soldiers Stories - Military Investigations</div><div>Reporting amid danger - When journalists are targeted and newsrooms are infiltrated</div>
<div>Whistleblowers and leaks - Protecting sources</div><div>Surveillance, privacy and hackers</div><div>The Governments War on Leaks</div><div>Protecting the Vulnerable</div><div>Practicing Safer Internet - Learning to think about digital security.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Tor Session Recap (sponsored by The Knight Foundation) - the room was packed with over 30 people and Karen presented a very broad strokes presentation of Tor and digital security then left a large amount time open for questions. People in the room were very curious about mobile device security, how encryption helps to keep them safe, etc. Our key messages included a) journalist need to raise their level of awareness (get a bit more paranoid) about their digital trace, b) first step to know understand and know your adversaries and how they may be able to get what they want, c) learning about the many options and layers available in secure themselves digital through the use of Tor and other tools. Everyone wanted our brochures and Tor stickers. As time ran out, conversations flowed in the hallway specifically with an investigative journalist requesting we come to Seattle and he would help "fill our time".</div>
<div><br></div><div>Key Connections - the following are some of the key connections we have made at IRE, have already reached out and who will be added into the CRM for continued outreach. Here are some of the organizations we connected with - The Seattle Times, Medill School of Journalism, WSJ, EnLinea Directa.info, School of Journalism for ASU, KBVO-Austin, 60Minutes, Die Tageszeitung, Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, Investigative Post, WhoWhatWhy and several independent journalist (including Quinn Norton) who gave us great insights into how they see digital security and what they need help with.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Key Findings:</div><div>- Journalists aren't yet thinking about threat modeling in a digital environment, they are experienced at thinking about safety for sources and whistleblowers in a physical environment but far less in a digital world. We can help connect the dots how their digital behaviors help/hinder physical security.</div>
<div>- Questions about "burner phones" seems to be top of mind with several of the journalists here - possible opportunity for a Tor learning event.</div><div>- Though they may do it in some regards in the physical world, helping journalist see how to compartmentalize themselves in the digital world and how easy it is to do.</div>
<div>- More needs to be shared about hidden services and how it can help journalists - there is a huge opportunity to help news organization learn about hidden services so they can use it for secure tip lines, etc.</div>
<div>- Many journalists are using Dropbox and other document sharing tools without encryption or additional security layers.</div>
<div>- Journalist are in a key position to help their sources stay safe - but we need to teach them how to do it in a way they are pass it on to their sources.</div><div>- Corporate whistle blowers are a key market for journalists and they resources that are used in the process (e.g. law firms) also need to understand further what is and isn't possible in security identities online.</div>
<div>- Saturday's keynote lunch provided a very real view into the dangerous conditions for journalists in Mexico.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Immediate Next Steps:</div><div>- Follow up with Knight Foundation on proposal for continued work - highlighting gaps seen at IRE which we can help fill.</div><div>- Reach out to organizations such as the Committee to Project Journalists and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism - how Tor can help? - this is already in progress.</div>
<div>- Schedule large journalist training event in partnership with The Seattle Times - they are excited and confident to fill the room.</div><div>- The Financial Times (locations in NYC and London) requested journalist (nontechnical) training.</div>
<div>- Find groups, chats, etc. where the independent journalist community hangs out.</div><div>- Reach out to the organizers of IRE and Knight about sponsoring more trainings at next year's IRE conference - encouraging those in compromised locations around the to come learn in depth about Tor and ways to pass the information along to colleagues in their area.</div>
<div>- A few topic ideas for Tor journalist training series include: Digital Safety 101, Tor and other Tools, Training Sources to be Safe, Crossover Digital and Physical World Security.</div>
<div>- Continued follow up with connections made at the conference.</div><div><br></div><div>Karen - feel free to add anything I missed.</div><div><br></div><div>Thank everyone!</div><div>Kelley</div><div><br></div><div>
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<div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div>-- <br><font size="1" color="#009900"><b>Kelley Misata</b></font><div><font size="1" color="#009900"><b>Outreach and Communications</b></font></div>
<div><font size="1" color="#009900"><b>The Tor Project</b></font></div><div><font size="1" color="#009900"><b><a href="http://www.torproject.org" target="_blank">www.torproject.org</a></b></font></div>
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