Election Interference Roundtable
Join us for a virtual briefing brought to you by The Intercept’s Press Freedom Defense Fund and Lawyers for Reporters.
June 9 at 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. PT
Federal law prohibits nonprofit 501(c)(3) news outlets (including fiscally sponsored entities) from campaigning, directly or indirectly, in any election for public office. The consequences of violating this restriction can be severe — in the most extreme cases, it could mean losing tax-exempt status.
But it’s not so easy to understand the rules or how they apply to nonprofit media. And mission and community-focused nonprofits must navigate these uncertainties if they want to serve their audiences.
With nationwide elections happening in a highly politicized environment, nonprofit newsrooms need to know how to cover campaigns, candidates, and key issues — delivering essential information to their audiences — without running afoul of the prohibition on campaign intervention.
Please join Lawyers for Reporters and the Press Freedom Defense Fund on Tuesday, June 9 at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. PT for a virtual briefing on how nonprofit newsrooms can cover elections without risking their status.
With:
- Abby Levine, associate general counsel and senior policy counsel at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Christina Jones, staff attorney at Lawyers for Reporters
- David Bralow, general counsel of The Intercept
This group of experts will provide an overview of the legal landscape, discuss practical issues around election reporting that commonly arise for newsrooms and the grantors that support them, and respond to your questions.
Upcoming Trainings
Protecting Documentary Sources: Safeguarding Sources and Sensitive Materials in Documentary Film Production
June 15 at 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT
A Primer on Newsroom Digital Security
June 18
(Private Training – request a private training for your organization)
Reducing Reporters’ Digital Risk: Risk Assessment and Threat Mapping for Journalists
June 23 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
Digital Safety and Source Protection for Investigations
June 25
(Private Training – request a private training for your organization)
Protecting Personal Online Data: Practical Guidance for Journalists
July 2 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
Past Trainings
Securing Communications: When Encryption Isn’t Good Enough
Webinar – Tuesday, May 26, at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Using end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms is just the first step in developing a cohesive defense-in-depth secure messaging protocol for sensitive communications between reporters and their sources. This workshop will go through secure communications best practices to minimize the chances that sensitive information such as source communications can fall into undesirable hands.
Safeguarding Journalism in the AI Era: Disabling Unwelcome AI Features in Your Workflows
Webinar – Thursday, May 14, at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
The stakes have never been higher as AI features silently collect, analyze, and potentially expose sensitive information without user consent, with more and more services now integrating AI features into their core functionality. From auto-saving drafts to cloud-based transcriptions, these capabilities create vulnerabilities for source protection and unpublished investigative materials. Our workshop provides the knowledge and frameworks needed to identify these risks, implement effective solutions, and develop policies that safeguard journalism in a digital ecosystem.
Best Digital Security Practices When Traveling: Protecting Your Sources and Other Sensitive Information
Monday, April 27, 2026 3-4 p.m. ET/12-1 p.m. PT.
This training will walk through keeping sensitive information digitally safe during all stages of your travel: arriving at a destination, staying at a location, and returning home. We’ll discuss how to reduce the chances of your information being compromised when going through security checkpoints, when staying at unknown lodging, and when heading out and about at your destination. Secure methods for collecting and storing field materials such as source interviews and other audiovisual elements will also be covered.
An Overview of Device Protection From Government Raids
Webinar – Monday, February 9, 2026 3-4 p.m. ET/12-1 p.m. PT.
The recent FBI raid of a Washington Post reporter’’s home is only the latest episode in the Trump administration’s ever-intensifying crackdown on the press and whistleblowers. It is more important than ever that journalists know how to protect themselves and their sources from a raid or device seizure. In this one-hour session, digital security specialist Robert Flummerfelt will discuss critical countermeasures that ensure sensitive data is encrypted, hidden, and inaccessible in the event that your devices are seized.
This workshop will be presented by the Press Freedom Defense Fund, and will be led by Robert Flummerfelt.
Robert Flummerfelt is an award-winning investigative journalist and a specialist in digital security and surveillance self-defense. He has provided training and consultation on state surveillance and information security for journalists, activists, and civil society organizations operating under conditions of extreme repression and surveillance, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Palestine, Uganda, the United States, and elsewhere, supporting newsrooms including The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and others.
Owing to the ever-evolving nature of the contents, our training sessions are not recorded. Instead, we may offer repeat sessions of the same topics at future dates. We ask that you not record the sessions, including by not bringing any AI or other recording, transcription, or note-taking bots into the session. Any such bots will be removed from attendance.
Securing Your Devices Against Raids, Seizure, and Surveillance, Part 2: Securing Your Computers
Webinar – Friday, February 6, 2026 3-4 p.m. ET/12-1 p.m. PT.
Government raids, mass surveillance, and targeted spyware pose more of a threat to journalists and whistleblowers now than ever. As the Trump administration’s crackdown on the press and civil society intensifies, protecting the devices you use to review documents, conduct research, and communicate with sources is critical. In this in-depth, one-hour session, digital security specialist Robert Flummerfelt will walk attendees through securing their laptop and desktop computers, covering device protection from raids, techniques to defend against malware, and software tools to use for communications with confidential sources and collaborators.
This workshop will be presented by the Press Freedom Defense Fund, and will be led by Robert Flummerfelt.
Robert Flummerfelt is an award-winning investigative journalist and a specialist in digital security and surveillance self-defense. He has provided training and consultation on state surveillance and information security for journalists, activists, and civil society organizations operating under conditions of extreme repression and surveillance, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Palestine, Uganda, the United States, and elsewhere, supporting newsrooms including The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and others.
Owing to the ever-evolving nature of the contents, our training sessions are not recorded. Instead, we may offer repeat sessions of the same topics at future dates. We ask that you not record the sessions, including by not bringing any AI or other recording, transcription, or note-taking bots into the session. Any such bots will be removed from attendance.
Contact Us
Interested in setting up a training session for your newsroom or organization? The Press Freedom Defense Fund specializes in custom-tailored trainings on source protection, safeguarding reporting in the AI era, newsroom cyber security, protection against raids and seizures, safe travel protocols, and more. Get in touch and let us know what you’re looking for.