Protecting Sources from Marginalized Communities: A Journalistic Imperative
Journalism plays a critical role in amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, shedding light on their experiences, and exposing systemic injustices. However, reporting on these communities comes with added responsibility due to the heightened risks and vulnerabilities faced by sources. It is essential for journalists to prioritize the safety of their sources from marginalized backgrounds and take proactive measures to protect their identities. By doing so, journalists can build trust, ensure the continued participation of sources, and uphold the ethical principles of journalism.
Journalists must recognize that different marginalized communities face unique forms of discrimination and violence. Whether it's transantagonism, antisemitic attacks, or racial biases against Indigenous communities, these intersecting forms of discrimination put sources from marginalized backgrounds at a higher risk of harm. To effectively protect these sources, journalists must educate themselves about the specific safety risks faced by the communities they cover.
Here’s what you should remember.
Don’t share locations or identifying markers that may lead bad actors to your source.
Visual mediums such as photography and film should avoid revealing identifying information about the source's location. Just as reality TV shows protect the privacy of their subjects' whereabouts, journalists should refrain from exposing street names, house numbers, or landmarks that could make the location identifiable. This is particularly crucial for safeguarding sources in climates that are hostile to their identity. Moreover, sharing identifiers about the subject, including their social media handles, could expose your source to cyber attacks.
Stay out of residential areas altogether.
Instead, agree upon a neutral location to meet up or arrange for your source to come to you. Planning in advance and conducting shorter, unpredictable visits can also help mitigate risks. Communities are often suspicious of unfamiliar visitors that linger. Doing so could further draw negative attention to your source and create a false narrative about exposing the community to danger. Journalists themselves may also be attacked if they linger too long.
Evaluate the need for security personnel.
In contexts where societal biases against marginalized sources exist, journalists should consider hiring security personnel to provide protection while reporting in public locations. However, it is crucial to consult with sources beforehand, discussing the presence of security or police personnel to address any anxieties they may have—and note that law enforcement may draw additional unwanted attention. In situations where involving law enforcement could pose additional risks to the source—such as sex workers, who may be arrested by law enforcement—alternative safety measures should be explored.
After a reporting assignment, journalists should conduct a post-investigation safety check to assess the effectiveness of the measures taken. This evaluation will help identify any gaps in source protection and enable journalists to learn from their experiences. In cases where sources have experienced harm during the reporting process, journalists must facilitate access to ongoing support and services to help the subject recover.
Journalists have a responsibility to protect the sources from marginalized communities who entrust them with their stories. If a journalist or a newsroom develops a poor reputation for seeing their sources injured, arrested, attacked, or even murdered, trust from the marginalized community in question could deteriorate or even break—which deprives both the journalist and the community of the deep need to share their stories.
