Digital Security 101 for Cross-Border Researchers
Online
Monday 9th November 2026 3:00PM
Goldsmiths Graduate School is pleased to be inviting Dr Kit Hung, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Migrant Futures Institute to deliver a seminar on digital security for researchers working with sensitive materials and vulnerable communities.
Digital Security 101 for Cross-Border Researchers: Privacy, Communication and Safer Research Practices
How can researchers protect their privacy, their communications and the people they work with when conducting research across (physical/digital) borders?
This introductory session uses practical, scenario-based approaches to digital security, with particular attention to research involving migrant, vulnerable and marginalised communities, as well as people whose circumstances require discretion or anonymity.
We will explore secure email and instant messaging, two-factor authentication (2FA), email aliases, and separate or “burner” browser profiles. We will also discuss anonymity and its limits, alongside the idea of “de-Googling”: reducing reliance on Google and other US-based technology platforms, and exploring European and decentralised alternatives with participants’ security needs in mind.
No prior technical knowledge is required. The session offers an accessible starting point for making informed choices about digital security in everyday research.
Kit Hung is a post-doctoral fellow at the Migrant Futures Institute and founder of the Secure Storyteller Network (https://securestoryteller.network/). Kit works with international partners to facilitate practical digital security sessions focused on privacy, safer communication and the needs of migrant and marginalized communities.
Digital Security 101 for Cross-Border Researchers: Privacy, Communication and Safer Research Practices
How can researchers protect their privacy, their communications and the people they work with when conducting research across (physical/digital) borders?
This introductory session uses practical, scenario-based approaches to digital security, with particular attention to research involving migrant, vulnerable and marginalised communities, as well as people whose circumstances require discretion or anonymity.
We will explore secure email and instant messaging, two-factor authentication (2FA), email aliases, and separate or “burner” browser profiles. We will also discuss anonymity and its limits, alongside the idea of “de-Googling”: reducing reliance on Google and other US-based technology platforms, and exploring European and decentralised alternatives with participants’ security needs in mind.
No prior technical knowledge is required. The session offers an accessible starting point for making informed choices about digital security in everyday research.
Kit Hung is a post-doctoral fellow at the Migrant Futures Institute and founder of the Secure Storyteller Network (https://securestoryteller.network/). Kit works with international partners to facilitate practical digital security sessions focused on privacy, safer communication and the needs of migrant and marginalized communities.
Event Details
Starts at 3:00PM
