Digital Rights is no longer a concern exclusive to tech experts. It is now deeply intertwined with journalism and the defense of human rights. With this message in focus, a training workshop titled “Digital Rights for Journalists and Human Rights Defenders” was held on 22 November 2025, at Swabolombi Unnayan Samity in Netrokona.
The workshop was organized by the rights-based research organization VOICE. Participants included journalists working in local newspapers, television, and online media platforms, as well as representatives from various human rights organizations.
Through practical, hands-on sessions, participants received training on multiple aspects of digital safety and online protection, including threat modeling, safe browsing and communication, encryption, two-factor authentication, digital hygiene, privacy awareness and internet shutdown.
Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Director of VOICE, said, “Digital rights and freedom of expression are intertwined. Strengthening digital literacy is equally essential to empower individuals to navigate and protect themselves in an increasingly complex online environment.
The digital safety strategies were presented by Deputy Director of VOICE, Musharrat Mahera. She remarked, “Our reliance on the digital sphere is steadily increasing. Journalists and human rights defenders, in particular, work daily with critical information. It is therefore essential for them to adopt and follow digital security measures to keep this information safe.”
Digital Safety and Security Specialist Tanvir Hasan Zoha said, “There is a considerable gap of understanding between people with digital literacy and people with no such skills. Sharing information without credible source is detrimental to preservation of safe digital space.”
The workshop covered key topics through hands-on activities, including threat modeling for self-risk analysis, the use of artificial intelligence, strong passwords, two-factor authentication for critical social media accounts, VPNs, safe browsing with Tor Browser, encrypted communication, data backup and internet shutdown.
Participants also practiced identifying malicious links, safeguarding mobile devices and social media privacy, and protecting their digital security while reporting in the field; such as by avoiding public Wi-Fi and disabling geo-location tracking.