investigative reporting

Distributed Denial of Secrets

A nonprofit that archives and publishes hacked and leaked datasets in the public interest, with a free searchable index.

From the site: A 501(c)(3) dedicated to archiving and publishing hacked and leaked data.

Why I recommend it: A primary-source archive journalists and researchers actually use — handle what's in it carefully and read their guidance first.

String Literal (Yael Grauer)

Investigative reporter Yael Grauer writes on privacy, security, surveillance and the craft of tech journalism.

From the site: Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Yael Grauer's thoughts about privacy, security, hacking, surveillance, journalism, and sometimes miscellany.

Why I recommend it: Worth following if you care about surveillance and privacy work, or want to see how a reporter builds those stories.

Hacks, Leaks, and Revelations (Micah Lee)

Micah Lee's book on analyzing hacked and leaked datasets, free to read in full online alongside the print edition.

From the site: Buy Hacks, Leaks, and Revelations: The Art of Analyzing Hacked and Leaked Data by Micah Lee.

Why I recommend it: The whole book is readable free on the site — a practical intro to handling large datasets safely.

Reuters: Inside Meta's plan to replace staff with AI

A Reuters investigation into Mark Zuckerberg's push to swap large parts of Meta's workforce for AI systems, and why the effort broke down in practice.

Why I recommend it: Read this before you panic about AI taking your job. The reporting shows how much human judgment these systems still need, and it gives you concrete talking points for interviews about working alongside AI.