DSI Media Workshop on cybersecurity
In the sixth edition of the DSI Media Workshop, media professionals were able to learn about the technical and social aspects of cybersecurity. The event also provided an opportunity for journalists to share their perspectives on what is important to them in science journalism and communication.
Cyberattacks have long been commonplace. And yet cybersecurity remains a topic that is difficult for many to grasp. It is therefore not surprising that the survey conducted among media professionals by the Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at the University of Zurich in early 2025 identified this very topic as the favorite for the next DSI Media Workshop.
Based on this feedback, the DSI dedicated its sixth Media Workshop on November 18 to cybersecurity. In an initial presentation, DSI Professor Ivan De Oliveira Nunes outlined the key technical challenges currently facing cybersecurity. DSI researcher Melanie Knieps then followed up with a societal perspective on the topic. After an interactive session, external speaker and cybersecurity expert Christian Folini demonstrated that the Swiss cybersecurity landscape is populated by a large number of organizations.
The interactive part of the workshop not only provided an opportunity to exchange views on media access to the topic of cybersecurity, but also to highlight what media professionals consider important in terms of science communication. DSI now intends to incorporate this feedback into the further development of the DSI Media Workshop format.