Watching me, while I'm watching you - Article about the dangers of espionage to journalists
Most people connect internet espionage with terrorism threats and Wikileaks but South African journalists also experience the pressure.
“Unfortunately there are very real indications that some state and private actors in South Africa have obtained the capacity to gain access to private information, and that journalists may be targeted illegally,” says Stefaans Brümmer, Manager from Mail & Guardian’s investigative unit, Amabhungane.
The main point of concern for the investigative journalists is their sources and the possible breach of privacy.
“There are two scenarios where it really matters and you need to take the risk seriously. One is when you need to protect a source.
“The other is when you are dealing with a story that targets the people that are likely to be able to spy on you,” says Craig McKune investigative journalist for Amabhungane.
Investigative journalists worry that soon the pressure and fear which espionage creates could threaten their ability to find sources and information.
“A journalist has a huge duty towards his or her confidential sources; to the extent that their identities may be discovered through computer hacking or other types of electronic espionage.
“That duty cannot be fulfilled and sources may start running scared, which will hamper our ability to expose truth in the public interest,” says Brümmer.
Investigative journalist McKune agrees, “internet espionage will start to have a chilling effect on investigative journalism.
“Every day that people don’t want to talk to us over the phone or on the internet because they believe that the lines are bugged. Is the day that we don’t get to get an open and honest flow of information about what happens in our democracy.”
Christo Goosen a freelance computer programmer explains the impact which internet espionage can have. “It can give government actors advanced warning on breaking stories, intimidate journalists, corrupt and change the information stored on their computers,”
The power of hacking and espionage has been seen around the world as secrets and confidential documents are leaked. However, people are often easily compromised.
“Globally the importance of whistle-blowers has been instrumental in keeping governments accountable for encroaching on human rights. This has been very apparent with the revelations brought to light by Snowden, Wikileaks and others,” says Goosen.
McKune says that investigative journalists do exercise a certain level of security when conducting research for stories but see it as a hindrance.
“We can’t live in absolute paranoia and encrypt, lock and bury everything in the deep web because that also has a cost in terms of your productivity.
“It seems reasonable to suspect but you need to be reasonable in assessing the risk.”
“Unfortunately there are very real indications that some state and private actors in South Africa have obtained the capacity to gain access to private information, and that journalists may be targeted illegally,” says Stefaans Brümmer, Manager from Mail & Guardian’s investigative unit, Amabhungane.
The main point of concern for the investigative journalists is their sources and the possible breach of privacy.
“There are two scenarios where it really matters and you need to take the risk seriously. One is when you need to protect a source.
“The other is when you are dealing with a story that targets the people that are likely to be able to spy on you,” says Craig McKune investigative journalist for Amabhungane.
Investigative journalists worry that soon the pressure and fear which espionage creates could threaten their ability to find sources and information.
“A journalist has a huge duty towards his or her confidential sources; to the extent that their identities may be discovered through computer hacking or other types of electronic espionage.
“That duty cannot be fulfilled and sources may start running scared, which will hamper our ability to expose truth in the public interest,” says Brümmer.
Investigative journalist McKune agrees, “internet espionage will start to have a chilling effect on investigative journalism.
“Every day that people don’t want to talk to us over the phone or on the internet because they believe that the lines are bugged. Is the day that we don’t get to get an open and honest flow of information about what happens in our democracy.”
Christo Goosen a freelance computer programmer explains the impact which internet espionage can have. “It can give government actors advanced warning on breaking stories, intimidate journalists, corrupt and change the information stored on their computers,”
The power of hacking and espionage has been seen around the world as secrets and confidential documents are leaked. However, people are often easily compromised.
“Globally the importance of whistle-blowers has been instrumental in keeping governments accountable for encroaching on human rights. This has been very apparent with the revelations brought to light by Snowden, Wikileaks and others,” says Goosen.
McKune says that investigative journalists do exercise a certain level of security when conducting research for stories but see it as a hindrance.
“We can’t live in absolute paranoia and encrypt, lock and bury everything in the deep web because that also has a cost in terms of your productivity.
“It seems reasonable to suspect but you need to be reasonable in assessing the risk.”
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