Davis A.

Full disclosure, this is my attempt at getting cute heart icons into inboxes far and wide. Be sure to subscribe to find out which digital security tool gets my last valentine of the season. ❤️❤️❤️

🚨 If you’re an iPhone user who is at elevated risk, enable Lockdown Mode to maximize device security settings.

If you are an Android user, enable Advanced Protection.

And note this may have a small impact on your use of the device.

➕ Want specifics? Reach out to us for training!

🔔 Join us and the U.S. Journalist Assistance Network for a discussion on best practices for protecting data and devices for journalists, featuring Jen Nelson and FPF's Harlo Holmes, Martin Shelton, and @abigail-lp.bsky.social.

🗓️ Feb. 10, 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT

RSVP: cpj.org/usjanpaneldata

Alex Pretti’s murder was an attack on press freedom Officials’ anti-recording playbook is an update of the old anti-whistleblowing one

Horrors like Alex Pretti’s murder are tragic losses not only to the victims’ families and communities — but to what’s left of the free press in the United States.

Read more from FPF's @seth-stern.bsky.social:

The Supreme Court could soon greenlight "geofence" data without a warrant.

That would allow the government to collect reams of location data on everyone, including journalists and whistleblowers.

Watch @trevortimm.bsky.social explain the implications:

We've gotten a lot of questions from journalists worried about raids after what happened to the WaPo reporter.

We can't stop the Trump admin from illegally seizing your devices, but here are 3 easy tips to mitigate the damage and protect your sources:

The Trump administration’s performative lying around ICE killings is a projection of power. @radleybalko.bsky.social, investigative journalist, and @josephcox.bsky.social, co-founder of 404 Media, are here to discuss all the latest from Minnesota and more. New podcast out now!

The raid on the home of @washingtonpost.com’s @hannahnatanson.bsky.social is a reminder journalists need to be vigilant.

We can’t stop government overreach — but we can help you secure yourself digitally.

Watch @trevortimm.bsky.social share tips that can make a real difference for journalists.

NEWS: The Social Security Administration has referred two DOGE employees for Hatch Act violations after discovering contacts with a political group seeking SSA data to overturn election results. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

🧵 Year 1 of Trump 2.0 has brought a constant barrage of norm-breaking aggressions against the press — from tightened access and investigations to lawsuits — aimed at those who dare to report unfavorably on the administration.

FBI Raid on WaPo Reporter’s Home Was Based on Sham Pretext Attorney General Pam Bondi’s decision to rescind rules protecting journalists are being used as a cudgel to attack the First Amendment.

We are seeing the impact of years of inaction on a couple of fronts: too much secrecy from the federal government, and inadequate protection of the right of the press to report on those secrets.

This, plus a long french horn solo instead of sax

The FBI’s raid today on the home of @washingtonpost.com reporter @hannahnatanson.bsky.social is an alarming escalation in the Trump administration’s war on the press.

Watch @trevortimm.bsky.social explain how the DOJ is not only attacking the First Amendment but also ignoring federal law.

It genuinely made me happy when the latest from Taffy Brodesser-Akner came up in my Times apps over the weekend. I have a lot of thoughts on what has become of cultural expression, but for now I'll just say that this is well worth the read.

Congress agrees to fund Voice of America, bucking Trump shutdown order The Trump administration has tried to eliminate funding for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA. Appropriators in Congress have had other ideas.

NEW >>

Congressional appropriators agreed to provide $653 million to fund Voice of America’s parent agency, rejecting President Donald Trump's demand to defund the international broadcaster and shut it down.

My latest for @washingtonpost.com:

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

How journalists can protect themselves while covering protests For journalists covering political movements, reporting on protests is crucial, but these events come with unique security challenges. Here's how you can better protect your privacy and security.

If you're planning to cover or just attend a protest, please see this guide from the Digital Security Training team at @freedom.press before heading out: freedom.press/digisec/blog...

Our Reporters Reached Out for Comment. They Were Accused of Stalking and Intimidation. Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But in this environment, they’ve found their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated.

“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever,” Department of Education spokesperson Madison Biedermann wrote after our reporter repeatedly asked agency officials for comment to ensure fairness and accuracy.

The House Oversight Committee just approved an outrageous subpoena of journalist Seth Harp for reporting on Venezuela. His "crime," apparently? Posting already public information from a government website to X.

Read our full statement:

404 Media has obtained material that explains how two surveillance systems ICE recently purchased, work. One can track phones without a warrant and follow their owners home or to their employer. @evystadium.bsky.social has more.

Scoop by @josephcox.bsky.social: www.404media.co/inside-ices-...

100% agree. We pay for gov't info, it belongs to us, we ought to have access.

"There’s an irony in the fact that FOIA-based reporting often ends up behind a paywall, because the public owns government records. We fund their creation through taxes, and we fund the agencies that produce them."

I'm so far behind on this platform that I'm re-posting a Halloween special! With an update, which is that the state of California seems to be making a meaningful difference in rampant data collection: privacy.ca.gov/drop/about-d...

Well, well, well... look who is/might be back...

I managed to take an entire year off of doom scrolling. Now considering wading back in, so long as I can keep things in check

And if reading social media makes me feel worse overall, I'm out of here. You've been warned

John Cusack wants to talk about paywalls. The movie star says that by selling their public-records-based reporting, news outlets are compromising one of journalism’s essential civic roles.

www.cjr.org/the-intervie...

Data vampires … we mean, brokers That unsettled feeling you get when you are served an all-too-accurate advertisement? Data brokers at work

This month my colleague @davisa.bsky.social takes over our digital security newsletter. It’s even more spooky than usual. Check that out (and follow her, she’s the best)! freedom.press/digisec/blog...

It’s 2025. Do you know how secure your newsroom is? "It was a lot easier, in some ways, for journalists back in the 80s and 90s, before all of these cloud platforms existed."

Newsroom security is paramount as the federal government cracks down on journalism.

“What’s really important is that sources know where to reach you in a way that helps them stay secure,” FPF's @davisa.bsky.social told @niemanlab.org.

Job Description Defending press freedom for the next generation

If you're a student or recent grad looking to DO SOMETHING about all the other content in your feeds lately, here's something to consider:

freedom.press/careers/job/...

Attorney General Bonta Urgently Issues Consumer Alert for 23andMe Customers Californians have the right to direct the company to delete their genetic data OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert to customers of 23andMe, a genetic testing ...

Genetics data held by 23andme becomes an asset once the company gets sold.

If you're a 23andme customer, here are some steps for removing your unique & sensitive genetic information before it's too late. By law, the company has to permanently delete it.

oag.ca.gov/news/press-r...

Love to see it

Library Freedom Institute is a unique privacy and intellectual freedom intensive training for library workers. Our training covers a wide range of highly relevant and engaging subjects in the privacy, intellectual freedom, and critical technology realm. The 2025 Institute will take place over almost four months (starting in late April), consisting of a two-hour virtual meeting every week, and an in-person weekend component. Cost is on a sliding scale down to $0. Some topics will feature expert guest speakers. Participants will also spend some time each week working on readings, group discussion, and final projects. The curriculum is a work in progress, but expect subjects like: * Talking points for fighting censorship * Resisting new data-driven business models * Building coalitions to defend library values * Technology for liberation, or at least better passwords After LFI has completed, participants are invited to join the LFP community of practice, a one-of-a-kind space for library workers to continue collaborating in a supportive environment. Applications are now open until March 15th. The 2025 cohort will begin sometime in mid to late April."

Tell your librarian friends (or just the librarian you see all the time, book nerd) to apply for the Library Freedom Institute! #InfoDemocracy #privacy

Guide: What to expect when asked for an interview A comprehensive guide on what to expect when a reporter asks for an interview, and what you should know about talking to a journalist.

Ever wonder what to expect when talking to a journalist? Our new guide breaks it down:

🤔 Why reporters might want to interview you
❌ What “off the record” means
😯 Requesting changes to a story

Got other questions about talking to reporters? Ask below ⤵️

outliermedia.org/guide-what-t...