Press pass?

[pwn]

Greetings all,

I'm new to the forums but I've attended several Defcons now and can't wait for this summer. I never paid much attention to the media there, as I like to keep to myself. After spending some time on the site, press registration caught my eye. I run a site that has a few tech and security articles, a section I plan on continually adding to over the coming months. I think this at least allows me to apply for a press pass, but aside from being free instead of the human badge, what's the difference on convention access?

This may be a stupid question, but I'd also rather not take away a press pass from someone else if I get approved and it's not what I expect. I plan on documenting/observing a lot, and then post 1 or 2 articles on the site from the event. Is the press pass considered something completely separate from the human badge, or does it grant me access to the human badge stuff plus more? If this is the wrong place to ask this I apologize.

Thanks in advance.

[TheCotMan]

I'm new to the forums but I've attended several Defcons now and can't wait for this summer. I never paid much attention to the media there, as I like to keep to myself. After spending some time on the site, press registration caught my eye. I run a site that has a few tech and security articles, a section I plan on continually adding to over the coming months. I think this at least allows me to apply for a press pass, but aside from being free instead of the human badge, what's the difference on convention access?

A "press" badge grants the same access as a "Human" badge except the items that I know about:
* There is a "press" room, where people from the press can meet and work. (For an example, see the room "Press" from the public map last year: https://defcon.org/images/defcon-23/dc-23-map.pdf - It was in Bally's next to restrooms, "Soc Eng Village" and 2 doors down from "1057" room.] I think humans are not allowed in there unless escorted by a goon or press, but am not 100% certain on this -- that is not my department
* Press are given directions on photography, filming, and interviewing, expected to ID themselves as press when talking with people. (I think this is still the case, but am not 100% sure as again, this is not my department.) The rules on photography, filming, etc. have changed many times over the years.

There may be more items, but I do not recall any other differences related to access.

I think Press still have to pay for their badge. From https://www.defcon.org/html/links/dc-faq/dc-faq.html

I'm press, how do I sign up, why can't I get in for free (I'm just doing my job)?

Please email press[at]defcon[d0t]org if you wish press credentials. Lots of people come to DEF CON and are doing their job; security professionals, federal agents, and the press. It wouldn't be fair to DEF CON attendees if we exempted one group from paying. If you are a major network and plan on doing a two minute piece showing all the people with blue hair, you probably shouldn't bother applying for a press pass - you won't get one. If you are a security writer or from a real publication please submit, and someone will respond with an answer.

This may be a stupid question, but I'd also rather not take away a press pass from someone else if I get approved and it's not what I expect. I plan on documenting/observing a lot, and then post 1 or 2 articles on the site from the event. Is the press pass considered something completely separate from the human badge, or does it grant me access to the human badge stuff plus more? If this is the wrong place to ask this I apologize.

I covered some exceptions for press earlier.

Press badge can stand-alone and grant access to the same spaces as a Human badge. Advice: if you buy a human badge and a press badge, please don't pass yourself of as human when interviewing for articles. If you are not doing anything related to work and are "off the clock" as a journalist, then wearing a human badge without a press badge is probably not much of an issue, but wearing a human badge when doing "press" work has been problematic in the past.

In the early days, wearing a "Press' badge would cause many people to avoid the wearer, but demographics have shifted, and now it seems like most people do not care if a person is press or not, OR they are actively interested in talking with press to increase their name recognition, brand awareness, etc.

Badges at DEF CON are mostly about signaling - allowing people to ID and classify people based on their badge.
* Speaker : They have been recognized as someone with something interesting enough to pass the CFP board for speaking at DEF CON
* Human : Ambiguous, mercurial and ephemeral -- hard to know if the person is a writer of RFC, security professional, fed, red-team leader, ninja, or tourist
* Goon : Likely a hard-core volunteer that puts in many, many hours to make DEF CON work
* Vendor : Provides goods/services that DEF CON vendor goons recognize as relevant to DEF CON, hacking, etc. : Get access to vendor room when closed, under conditions described by Vendor goons to them.
* Artists : DJ, and other artists providing their art for DEF CON
* Contest : They are likely skilled enough in one or more areas related to hacking to create and run a contest to help people learn through competition. Similar to a lab instructor. : Get access to the contest spaces when closed, as defined by the contest goons and their terms/conditions.
* Uber (BlackBadge) : They won a contest or were similarly recognized as the best in some thing at a DEF CON.

The Goon badge is not a universal access pass. For example, a Goon badge does not grant access to the Vendor area when it is closed. Because of the money and goods involved, access during closed hours is limited to Goons that are "Vendor Goons" and vendor as Vendor goons describe to vendors. Contest goons may have similar requirements for the Contest floor being limited to contest goons because of expensive things on the contest floor.

HTH,
-Cot

[sainate]

I don't think that it's possible to read a TheCotMan post and *not* learn something! pwn , good question (I was a little curious about all of the different badges but wasn't quite sure how to pose the question) and awesome response TheCotMan
57 days and a wake-up

[pwn]

Haha thanks both of you guys. TheCotMan You're the man!

To settle this, I'll just be purchasing the Human badge and leaving the press side out of it. The site is more of a hobby and I go for the con itself, not to write some articles on "x". That will allow me to enjoy it more, mingle with peers, and remain anonymous. If only August would come sooner.