Reporting Elections, Safety and Security of Journalists Why secure Every day, digital technology generates new possibilities; new ways to work and play, to transact and interact. Our work, play, and personal lives revolve around computers, the internet, and mobile phones. The benefits of technology are obvious – but there are security implications too. Potentially the more we use technology, there are a number of security risks for organisations as well as personal information. From bank accounts to personal photos and messages, we all have more than ever stored on digital devices and online accounts—and more to lose. All our private conversations are out there somewhere. But for those who weren’t born with an iPad, ‘digital security’ might as well be a foreign language. The cyber security context for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe is characterised by a range of risks and threats. The government has long been accused of using its intelligence and security apparatus to monitor and target civil society activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. This includes the use of surveillance technologies, including through the use of spyware, to monitor their activities. In addition, the government has imposed various restrictions on freedom of expression, including through 14 https://zimbabwe.misa.org