Freelance arts journalists spend most of their time chasing various stories, doing interviews with creative professionals, covering performances and exhibits, and offering cultural points of view to readers. The focus of their work is definitely on research and writing; however, digital security is just as important in protecting a freelance journalism career.
The difference between freelance journalism and big media organisations is that freelancers usually take care of their own devices, accounts, web pages, and communication channels. Access to compromised email accounts, stolen files, and compromised conversations with sources can pose a serious threat to the professional career of journalists.
Implementing good digital security practices does not necessarily require special technical skills. It requires being mindful and taking a few precautions. The following list contains essential security recommendations for freelance arts journalists.
Secure Your Email and Online Accounts
For freelance journalists, email is the core of all professional activity. It is a way to communicate with editors, artists, public relations agencies, publishers, and sources. If somebody gets access to your email account, he or she can also gain access to your confidential communications, contracts, invoices, and unpublished story ideas.
First, create strong and unique passwords for every significant account. Do not reuse passwords across platforms because leaking one password can compromise all accounts you have.
Second, use a password manager that will help you create and manage passwords for all your accounts without needing to remember them. Password managers are especially useful for freelancers because you can have accounts for your portfolio, newsletters, publishing platforms, cloud storage systems, and social media accounts.
Finally, wherever possible, enable two-factor authentication, which will add an extra security level as you will have to provide a second confirmation before gaining access to the account.
Here are some important accounts to secure:
- Primary email accounts for your journalism work
- Cloud storage accounts where your articles, photos, interviews, and research notes are stored
- Social media profiles related to your professional identity
- Website hosting and content management accounts
Do not forget to monitor the activity of your accounts and remove access for unfamiliar devices or applications you do not use anymore.
Protect Your Interviews, Sources, and Private Communication
Often, arts journalism involves doing interviews with artists, curators, festival organisers, and various creative people. Sometimes, those interviews include confidential information, preliminary announcements, and private information.
Freelancers should treat digital communications just like notebooks or audio interviews. Do not rely on storing your important data on a single device. In case your laptop is lost, stolen, or broken, you must be able to retrieve your work.
When dealing with sensitive information:
- Store files on encrypted cloud services or on encrypted drives
- Do not send any sensitive documents through unsecured channels
- Delete all unnecessary copies of private information
- Be careful with sharing your interview recordings or your unpublished drafts
Some messaging apps have strong encryption and thus offer higher security. However, keep in mind that the security of any platform is also determined by the security of your devices and account settings.
Keep Your Devices Safe While Working Anywhere
As freelance arts journalists work everywhere – in cafés, galleries, festivals, airports, hotels, and shared office spaces – security becomes an issue.
Public places are risky for your devices since they increase the chances of theft, unauthorised access, and connection to unsafe networks. Your laptop or phone left unattended for a few minutes or an unlocked phone on the table can give an intruder a chance to gain access to sensitive information.
Your basic device security should include:
- Creating a strong device password or using biometric locks
- Installing timely updates for your operating system and installed programs
- Enabling device tracking features
- Encrypting your storage if possible
- Avoiding the use of unfamiliar USB devices
It is also recommended to prepare for traveling. Prior to any trips to international conferences or events, make sure that you have no unnecessary sensitive files stored on your devices. Storing them offline or deleting them temporarily will decrease your risks if your devices are examined, lost, or stolen during trips.
Use Secure Internet Connection While Reporting or Researching
Since freelance arts journalists work outside standard offices, it is crucial to pay attention to internet security. Public Wi-Fi networks in cafés, hotels, and event venues are convenient but sometimes offer the weakest protection for your devices.
While using unfamiliar networks, you can use a virtual private network. Such a network will help you protect your internet connection by encrypting your online activity, so nobody else using the same Wi-Fi network can spy on you.
This is especially useful when accessing emails, uploading your articles, researching stories, and managing your professional accounts when traveling.
A VPN service provider adds an important layer of protection, especially when working on public or unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks. It helps encrypt your internet connection and reduce the risk of unauthorised access. However, it should be used together with other security practices such as using secure websites, keeping software updated, and protecting your accounts.
Create Reliable Backup System for Your Work
For an arts journalist, losing files means losing all research done over weeks or even months. All articles, photos, interviews, notes, contracts, and creative archives of a journalist are professional assets that have value.
Your backup system should follow one simple rule: have several copies of important files stored and keep at least one of them in a place separate from your main device.
Here are some options to consider:
- Automated cloud backups for active projects
- External drives for extra copies of files
- Backups on a schedule rather than manual copying from time to time
Prior to major assignments and travels, check whether your recent files are backed up. People tend to rely on their backups until they actually have to restore their information.
Be Careful with Social Media and Public Profiles
Social media is an important instrument for freelance arts journalists. Professional networks, portfolio websites, and creative communities allow you to reach an audience and find new work.
But public profiles can also contain information that can be used against you. Information about your location, assignments, personal contacts, and travels can pose threats.
You should regularly check your privacy settings and consider which information you want to keep public. You should not share any details that might compromise your security or confidential reporting plans.
Direct messages should also be treated carefully. Fake interview invitations, fake collaborations, and phishing attacks target journalists because they have access to professional networks.
Before clicking on any link or opening any attachments, you should check who the sender is and whether the request was expected.
Protect Your Website and Digital Portfolio
Most freelance arts journalists have their personal websites where they post their articles and attract clients. A website is an important professional asset for you, but it needs to be protected.
Make sure that your website platform, its plugins, and themes are regularly updated since outdated software is usually easier to attack.
Here are some other things you can do to increase the security of your website:
- Use a secure hosting provider
- Create a strong administrator password
- Limit access to unnecessary users
- Back up your website
- Use security monitoring tools when possible
If your website contains contact forms, newsletter signups, or payment features, you should look into the way user information is gathered and stored. Protection of visitors’ information also improves your professional reputation.
Recognise Phishing and Online Scams
Journalists are regularly contacted by strangers, and it can be hard for them to recognise phishing attacks. A message that looks like it comes from an editor, gallery, artist, or publisher can be a way to get login details and install malware.
Signs of such attacks include urgent requests, unexpected file attachments, suspicious links, and requests for passwords or payment information.
Prior to answering any message:
- Check the sender’s email address carefully
- Do not open unexpected attachments
- Check unusual requests through another communication channel
- Never share your login details with anyone
Forming the habit of being suspicious about unusual messages can help avoid many security issues.
Check Your Digital Security Periodically
Digital security is not something that you install once and do not think about anymore. Technology changes, your accounts grow, and new risks appear all the time.
It is a good practice to conduct regular security reviews once in a while. Once every few months, you can check passwords, account permissions, software updates, backups, and privacy settings.
A quick review can help you identify any problems before they become serious. It is easier to enhance your security gradually than to recover from a major breach involving stolen work or compromised accounts.
Conclusion
For freelance arts journalists, digital security is one of the ways to protect their ability to report, create, and communicate. Personal devices, online accounts, source conversations, and creative archives are valuable professional assets that should be protected.
With the use of strong passwords, two-factor authentication, device protection, backups, online connection protection with the help of VPN services, and phishing awareness, you can protect yourself from many risks without complicating anything.
Such a careful digital security routine will allow you to concentrate more on important things — reporting and connecting your audience with the world of arts and culture.
Image: Woman sitting outdoors typing on a laptop, embodying freelance and digital nomad lifestyle – photo by Anna Shvets