The Role of Professional Norms and Ethics in Security Mental Models: The Case of Journalism

Exploring how people find, access, and navigate digital security knowledge allows us to better understand the discrepancies between beliefs and practices. As a result, interventions to allow individuals to navigate online interactions safely can be developed. This article focuses on the context of journalism, which faces particularly acute concerns of personal safety and security relative to other professions. Using semi-structured interviews, this article uses an open and inductive approach to explore the beliefs underpinning journalists’ understanding of and engagement with digital security practices in reporting contexts. Ultimately, this article argues that a security mindset is a natural extension of newswork even if it is not reflected by sophisticated digital security knowledge or practices among journalists.