Burner phones, fake sources and ‘evil twin’ attacks: journalism in the surveillance age | Bradley Hope

When I heard my number was on a leaked data list, I wasn't surprised. Reporters have never been more vulnerable

What does the new age of surveillance mean for the work of investigative journalists? Last year, I was preparing to fly from London to a country in the Middle East for a sensitive reporting trip. I wasn't worried about my own safety - but now I have to take extraordinary measures to protect the security of my data.

Bringing my own laptop or personal phone was out of the question. Instead I bought a completely new phone. I made sure not to sign into any of my accounts from the phone, and I did not save any numbers in the blank address book. Before I left, I created a temporary email address specifically for this trip, where sources could reach me.