In a new submission to the Columbia Journalism Review, Citizen Lab researchers review the findings of a recent survey that polled journalism schools on digital security curriculum. As explained in the article, the data suggests that most journalism schools are struggling to provide training that properly protects journalists, their sources, and their colleagues online.
“Only half of the 32 schools across the US and Canada that responded to the survey offer digital security training, and less than a quarter make that training mandatory,” the article reads. “Among programs that have training, the majority devote less than two hours to the subject; previous research has found that even after six, three-hour workshops only half the participants passed a test about the material they covered.”
Part of the challenge for educational institutions is keeping up with the changing digital landscape that journalists find themselves in, and the ever-complex attacks them may face.
However, there is hope. As the authors of the article note: “The good news is that, among schools that said they offer training, most are moving in the right direction by integrating digital security into their courses, rather than offering standalone sessions.”
The full survey questions can be found here and the full article can be found here.