A new app, J-SOS, is being developed to address the unique safety needs of journalists. The project seeks input from media professionals to shape its features. Early testers are invited to participate.
Journalists working in today's media environment face growing risks, yet many of the tools and resources available to them were not designed for the realities they encounter. The Journalism Source of Safety (J-SOS) app is a new initiative focused on providing tailored safety support and secure communication options for reporters, especially those who often lack institutional backing.
J-SOS is the result of a collaboration led by RJI Director of Innovation Kat Duncan, alongside journalists, educators, and technologists with direct experience in the field. The team behind the app has identified that traditional safety resources remain static and disconnected, often reflecting outdated assumptions about who needs protection and how. Many existing platforms for secure communication are controlled by large corporations with little alignment to press freedom or the specific needs of the journalism community.
The app is being built to support not only established newsrooms but also freelancers, student journalists, those working in the Global South, and members of historically marginalized groups. These are the professionals most likely to be left without adequate safety infrastructure. J-SOS aims to fill this gap by offering resources and tools that are responsive to the evolving challenges journalists face.
Currently, the J-SOS team is conducting active user research and is seeking feedback from journalists to inform the app's development. Media professionals are encouraged to participate in the user research survey, which will directly influence the features and design of the platform. Those interested in becoming beta testers can contact Tara Pixley at tara@authoritycollective.org to get involved in the early stages of the project.
Efforts to improve journalist safety are gaining attention across the industry. For example, recent discussions about balancing brand safety and campaign reach in digital advertising highlight the importance of context and quality journalism, as explored in this analysis of evolving brand safety tactics.
