Thoughts on Journalism, Media, and Communications for the 2018 IFF
The IFF Fellows are the empowering voices that create and curate the programming that inspires Internet Freedom defenders internationally.
These 20 community leaders, from all over the world, have a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the Internet Freedom space. And that’s something we think you should hear.
Each week, our fellows will share their views on their themes, and the topics they are most excited to discuss during the Internet Freedom Festival this March.
This time around, we’re focusing on Journalism, Media, and Communications:
Rodrigo Baires, IREX (@BairesQuezada)
Rodrigo is a journalist with more than 18 years of experience in different Latin American and cross-border projects. For the past two years, he has been a S.A.F.E. initiative digital trainer for journalists from Central America. His work focuses around a holistic approach to privacy and security, which includes self care, training out bad habits and careful planning.
Constanza Figueroa, Derechos Digitales (@kalogatias)
Constanza is an illustrator & designer specialized in humans rights and the internet. Focused on exploring technology related concepts with culture, art, humor and digital autonomy, she works to defend a more diverse and safe environment on the internet. She works as a communications officer at Derechos Digitales, Latin America, coordinating and producing graphics for developing methodologies to learn, share, communicate and co-create.
Don is the Media Liaison for Viet Tan, an organisation promoting democratic change in Vietnam. He has helped connect grassroots activists with journalists to bring under-represented voices to the international community. Don has been involved in Viet Tan’s international advocacy efforts to promote internet freedom, increase access to circumvention technology and campaign for Vietnam’s many imprisoned freedom of expression advocates.
Why do you think it is important to create a conversation space for individuals to discuss journalism, media and communications?
We live in a hyper-connected and hyper-informed period, in which the “generation of truth” ceased to be an exclusive work of journalism and the media. While this has helped diversify news and information, an overload of information may make it more difficult for users to determine between fact or fiction.
Journalism, media and communications brings together what’s great about the diversity of information and how stakeholders weave through this space to disseminate important information while discussing the challenges we face as the information we receive can impact our future decisions.
What trends and challenges within this theme do you foresee for this upcoming year?
Making sure true and verified information is disseminated widely, helping users to discern between verified and non-verified information, fake news and fake media, Internet trolls and bullying.
What are some examples on how communications and design have a great impact in the Internet Freedom space?
Free and open source portals are assisting users to fact check and access public information in order to source reliable information which can be fed into their own blogs, media or other publications.
How can journalists better collaborate with human rights defenders?
1) Support and highlight the work of journalists human rights defenders, particularly those who under harassment and intimidation.
2) Work with frontline activists to conduct investigations into social movements and/or issues.
3) Further training and capacity building among journalists and frontline activists to research joint issues.
What are the titles of 5 sessions that you would like to see in your theme at IFF 2018?
- Fake news (Bulos in Spanish): what’s news, what’s fake and where’s this all happening?
- Best practices in countering online trolls and troll centers in different regions.
- Protecting journalists, media and human rights activists.
- Rapid response campaigns to support activists and journalists in emergencies.
- Producing and promoting stories from the ground to the wider community.
The Journalism, Media and Communications Fellows wrote these answers collectively.
Reminder: The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2017. Send us your proposals today!
