Room S6, Maison de la paix, Geneva
At a time when the world is saturated with information, the act of verifying and investigating has become vital to assessing credibility and making sense of the noise and actions around us. Whether it aims to find the source of a problem, expose abuse of power or make sense of leaked data, investigation as a practice is relevant for the work of a researcher, a journalist, a Human Rights activist, a whistle-blower, or a concerned citizen trying to uncover information. Sometimes the mere act of questioning or researching exposes you to risks, even more so in the increasingly challenging environments around world. These risks vary based on the investigation methods and tools you use, the topics you address, the contexts you work in, and the capabilities of your potential adversaries.
This session will focus on evidence discovery, data collection and related safety and privacy considerations across multiple environments (online, offline, geographies and transit). It will introduce you to innovative techniques, tactics, tools and available resources meant to support you in the investigative process while incorporating essential security practices to help protect yourself, your data and the people you work with.
This session is part of Digital Skills Workshop "The Internet, Power, and the Civil Society", which is open to all students of the Graduate Institute. For information on other sessions and registration, please visit the workshop guide. A second session is taking place on November 17.
Tactical Tech is an international NGO that engages with citizens and civil-society organisations to explore and mitigate the impacts of technology on society. It uses its findings to develop practical solutions for an environment where digital technologies can contribute to a more equitable, democratic and sustainable society. Laura Ranca leads Tactical Tech's Exposing the Invisible project, which provides techniques, training and resources for safer digital and non-digital investigations. She is a researcher, investigator and trainer with over 12 years of experience in the field.