Journalism and Internet security

Technological advancement has revolutionised journalism, yet there are overwhelming evidence pointing to the fact that very few journalists are aware of the impact of this technological push.

The ignorance poses serious dangers to the profession in that not only are many missing out on crucial ways of perfecting their trade, but also the risk of security, especially in the face of increasing anti-free press legislations around oppressed societies, leaves journalists exyremely vunerable to all sorts of attacks.

In Gambia, for instance, the authorities have used electronic dosument accessed illegally to prosecute percieved opponents of the regime.

The West Africa Journalists Association, through its capacity building project, saw the need to equip media practitioners in West Africa in ways of ensuring security in their work, vis-a-vis unfair infiltration into their personal information and other relevant documents that are supposed to be accessed by unauthorised persons.

Over 30 journalists from across the West Africa region Wednessday, February 2nd, began and three day trainign on Journalism, Internet Security and Information Communications Technologies for Development.

The training is sponsored by the ECOWAS Commision, and, according officials at the regional journalism umbrella body, it is aimed at establishing a pool of journalists equipped with skills on ICTs as they relate to the work of the journalists.

At the end of the training, a select group of journalists would be identified who would in tourn undertake training of other journalists in their respective countries.
This is "an activity that dwells on an area of deep concern for me personally and the Association in particular - capacity building of the media in West Africa in the area of ICTs," WAJA President Muhamed garba, said at the official opening ceremony of the workshop at the Azalai Grand Hotel in the center of Bamako.