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Journalism in the Age of Surveillance
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Sharnya Rajesh
6:00
Hello and a very warm welcome to a special lecture on ‘Journalism in the Age of Surveillance’ by Bradley Hope (Journalist and co-founder of Project Brazen), hosted by the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai.
6:06
Bradley Hope kicks off the conversation by talking about the paramount importance to stay updated in the field of journalism.
6:10
6:11
Hope talks about the increasing capacity to reach potential sources for our articles as we have transitioned to the online phase. With regards to the Pegasus spyware that functions on non- clickability. He elaborates that, “As journalists we need to retrench from technology. We need to be available to tipsters, whistleblowers but at the same time be wary of the technology, as we leave trails behind while gathering resources."
6:15
Hope: "Although this shift in journalism is pretty amazing as we can now hold even powerful people accountable, I have started to look at my phone as a risk I carry around."
6:16
The Spy in Your Phone
6:20
Hope says that when a country buys such softwares, they have access to all information contrary to what the NSO group claims (in case of the Pegasus Scandal) and therein lies the temptation. Wealthy private individuals have a way to piggyback on a country's system and gain access, he adds.
6:26
Hope fears that such a revelation makes people around the world skeptical to get in touch with journalists, fearing breach of their identity. Therefore, he suggests that newsrooms must work towards building a ‘Technology Kit’. For instance, he says, “Using burner phones or dummy phones while also keeping the circuit small and private.”
6:31
In response to a question from an audience member, Hope says that ‘Secure Drop’ is one of the most secure systems. However, the downside is that it is hard to set-up and requires full-time administration, he adds.
6:35
6:37
The conversation then shifts to Hope’s experience in the Middle East. “The challenge there is that the government doesn’t require a special software, they own the network. Therefore, in such places devices are more vulnerable to be compromised. This makes it all the more challenging to be a reporter in such countries,” explains Hope.
6:42
Another member of the audience asks Hope about the process of investigating while writing his book 'Blood and Oil', and how they ensured the security of his sources. Hope replies, "We met our sources in person and kept our discussion off technology. I also use ‘Skiff’ , a shared workspace that is end to end encrypted.”
6:43
Mohammed bin Salman and the Future of Saudi Arabia | Bradley Hope
6:46
An intriguing question comes from the audience: “Why are you interested in the life of Mohammed bin Salman?”
Bradley shares his  personal experience that from the beginning of his journalism career, to being interested in Middle East as a student - the whole of Middle East, not a specific country. When he was in the Wall Street Journal he got interested in the life of Mohammed bin Salman. “Mohammed bin Salman wasn't understood with a lot of depth,” adds Hope. He further says that was a journalistic opportunity to dig deep and know more about him.
6:47
Another question from the student: “As we are spending a lot more time online, how are the journalists coping with such heightened surveillance threat?”
Answering this, Hope shares his grand vision that an average person isn't changing much at all. Journalists will not spend less time online, especially after lockdown and how there will be more exposure in the future where there will be more wake up calls to be more careful about the steps they take. "We need to strike a balance. We can't be overly secure. That can distort our relationship with our sources. But at the same time, we need to be aware of the risks that come with a smartphone," elaborates Hope.
6:48
Hope urges the audience to be a little paranoid about smartphones and be ready to accept a little bit of risk.
6:53
6:56
Another member of the audience asked Bradley how he investigated Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Bradley replies: "I tried to cover Khashoggi's case in my book 'Blood and Oil'. I had also met him and his colleagues. According to them, Khashoggi was very critical Mohammad Bin Salman's policies."
6:58
Is surveillance more prevalent in the digital age?
Yes (100% | 4 votes)
 
No (0% | 0 votes)
 
Total Votes: 4
7:03
Answering a question on privacy laws in the UK, Bradley says: “In UK rules, around privacy are very strong". He goes on to say that the impact of journalism is not only about making governments come-up with new laws to protect privacy, but also about exposing corruption and other miss-deeds. He sights the example of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, who was globally shamed for his alleged hacking of the phones of ex-wife Princess Haya.
7:05
That wraps up today's session. Thank you for being with us.
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