This article was co-written by Alexandre Leforestier and Leila El Amrani

The European Commission has offered Panodyssey the opportunity to participate in the public consultation about : “Ensuring the safety of journalists in the European Union”.

This topic concerns the European platform Panodyssey in particular since we are bringing together more and more independent journalists, and it is very important for Panodyssey to participate in guaranteeing their safety, in a context where the community's objective is to build a new European model, healthy and transparent.

Here is our public contribution :

During the Stakeholder Dialogue on copyright devoted to Article 17 of November the 5th 2019, Panodyssey was present and was keen to defend its vision of a platform around intellectual property rights. Panodyssey is a writing publishing platform which promotes new writing formats and their authors. Panodyssey develops its vision around a new European digital model, which places journalists and authors at the core heart of value.

After having developed a European solution dedicated to independent authors and journalists, allowing them to publish, then develop and promote their profession, Panodyssey and its new European partners in the journalism sector are part of the Creative Europe program, supported by Commissioner Mariya Gabriel. 

For Panodyssey, the safety of journalists within the European Union is a top priority.

First and foremost, security affects the integrity of journalists. Securing journalists involves protecting their identity. Whether they exercise their profession under the guise of a pen name, independently or within an organization, anonymity should not be allowed to reign, even if it rules within traditional social networks. Panodyssey offers a secure and transparent certification mechanism that guarantees the identity of creators, to empower them, value them and protect their rights. It is also essential to protect whistleblowers, key actors of Democracy, as well as journalists.

Moreover, it is a matter of securing their work, their creation and data : it is a subject of intellectual property, but not only. Indeed, digital technology is a revolutionary tool that allows the quick transmission of information, but it can also be a great weapon and be the subject of devastating attacks. For example, it can increase the risk of ransomware-type cyber attacks, as many journalists have suffered from them, in France and elsewhere. Panodyssey offers a strong and secured solution without advertising whose protection of creations is based in part on the blockchain technology : digital technology is here at the service of creativity and public debate.

Finally, freedom of the press is not achieved everywhere across the European Union. A journalist who is censored cannot do his job properly and the entire democracy suffers from it. The duty to provide information, for which they bear, must be able to be carried out independently, without fear of institutional reprisals. Panodyssey strongly believes in the freedom to write and read, and provides journalists with a healthy publication space with a community of engaged and united readers. Through its philosophy and its technology features, Panodyssey contributes to the security of European journalists.

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We hope that the Commission will take effective action to guarantee all journalists the safety they deserve. Journalists ask questions and sometimes raise contradictions, essential to the democratic debate.

And you, what protective measures would you suggest ? Feel free to use the comment section to give your opinion on this topic.

Cover picture : Credits Alex Young on Unsplash