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Attendees are naturally wary of anyone claiming to be press so it's important that if you will be representing the media that you make an attempt to be credentialed - we become your validation as press to the rest of the attendees who will be instructed to be careful of anyone representing themselves as a member of the media yet does not carry a Def Con Press Badge.
I will also need a URL to your past articles covering security for the publication you're representing as well as contact information for your Editor. I will let you know within 48 hours if you can expect a press badge at the show.
If you choose not to pre-register and show up on-site requesting press credentials
WE WILL NOT GUARANTEE YOU GET ONE and YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY $75 TO GET IN.
If registering on-site, please bring paper copies of past articles covering security for your publication and contact information for your editor (we may need to reach them before we approve your credentials).
ALL JOURNALISTS SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 2 BUSINESS CARDS TO PRESENT UPON REGISTRATION WHETHER YOU'VE PREREGISTERED OR NOT.
EXTRA POLICY FOR BROADCAST MEDIA
Because of the problems in past years associated with the media DEF CON has established a set of guidelines everyone with a media-recording device must agree to.
Ok so here is the score. DEF CON will allow press people into the common areas. These areas include the Capture the Flag areas, Vendor areas, DJ / Rave rooms. If an attendee is in one of these areas it is their responsibility to be aware of and avoid the cameras. Short of banning all recording devices and strip-searching every attendee, we see no other alternative.
This means..
Everyone with a recording device MUST respect people who request not to be filmed or photographed. DEF CON will allow press into the speaking areas to only film the speakers, and we will rigorously enforce this rule. If anyone, including attendees, is found to be recording or photographing people who do not wish to be, they will be removed from the convention and must surrender their recording media/film for erasure of the offending content. This rule is the result of (a) too many camera men trying to sneak an audience shot in with out notifying the crowd or (b) one too many camera men walking around pretending their camera was off when in reality they were "secretly" recording the attendees.
Anyone filming or recording these presentations must receive official permission from the speakers to redistribute or rebroadcast any portion of said content.
DEF CON Staff is there for the protection of the attendees and the press. Two years ago an errant cameraman decided to ignore a staff member and was almost flattened by a rampaging cDc gorilla (yes it's true). We want to prevent issues like this from arising again. We won't bother you with trivial stuff, but we are trying to prevent the attendees from getting pissed off at us and the media - and at this show, you do NOT want to upset an attendee.
Finally, if we catch you giving your press badge to non-credentialed press, you will be escorted off the premises and not be allowed to return. We sound like press nazi's, I know - but we've had too many people in past years scamming press badges, misrepresenting themselves to attendees, causing arguments and even fighting with speakers (our GUESTS) and it's simply not worth the hassle. All badges reported lost or stolen will incur a $75 replacement fee.
We welcome all legitimate press to the show and hope you don't mind our heavy-handed tactics to weed out the riffraff who give you a bad name.
FOR DEALING WITH ALL THIS PREREGISTERING CHAOS
There will be press rooms available and a schedule of when speakers and others are available for interviews. Video crews can set up in these rooms and conduct interviews, however keep in mind they are first come, first serve and be expected to SHARE a room once you're in it. The Sound of Knowledge will be recording all the speakers, and this stock footage can be bought cheaply the day of the show.
You will also have access to the DEF CON Wireless Network and we are doing our best to make Ethernet available up there as well. Wireless cards MAY be available for purchase at the show but there are also computer stores in town where you can purchase one.
If you need something to show your boss that's a little less crass than the above, we've prepared the following item - we will also ask you to read and initial this at on-site registration so there's no after-the-fact claims of "I never saw the policy".