27 free resources on this topic. Everything here is free and hand-picked. You can also search within this topic.
MediaPost report (Sept. 28, 2026) on falling traffic to media websites as Google and other companies route readers to AI summaries, citing a drop from 70 million monthly visitors in July 2024 to about 47 million in July 2026.
Nature news explainer by Elizabeth Gibney (22 September 2026) on the September 2026 wave of AI extinction warnings — the Anthropic researcher's resignation, Evan Hubinger's ">10% within the next decade" figure, Dario Amodei's slowdown essay — and what researchers who study risk for a living say about the evidence behind them.
Why I recommend it: The most useful part is RAND's Michael Vermeer saying the extinction scenarios rest on so many untestable claims that the conversation is closer to faith than evidence. Read it before repeating any percentage you see on social media — those numbers are personal estimates, not measurements.
News, investigations and analysis at the intersection of technology, crypto and finance.
Why I recommend it: News source added to the Technology & Ethics feed. Coverage focuses on crypto, tech companies and financial investigations. Articles are free to read; the site may carry advertising or sponsorship. Feed: https://protos.com/feed/
Subscription tech newsroom covering AI labs, funding and executive moves, known for scoops on OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta well before wider coverage picks them up.
Why I recommend it: Honest warning: this one breaks the site's 100%-free rule. Almost everything is behind a paid subscription — you can read headlines and the opening lines, and a few free briefings, but full articles need a paying account. Added at my request as a reporting source; treat it as a headline tracker rather than something you can read end to end.
Personal site of Faine Greenwood, a specialist in civilian drone technology, GIS, OSINT and humanitarian aid. She writes about drones, technology and human rights for outlets like Foreign Policy, Bellingcat and Slate, and publishes the Little Flying Robots newsletter.
From the site: I’m Faine Greenwood, and I’m available for consulting. I’m a specialist in civilian drone technology, GIS, OSINT, and humanitarian aid. I write about drones, technology, and human rights for outlets like Foreign Policy, Bellingcat, and Slate. I’ve been working with, writing about, and flying small drones since 2013. C…
Independent technology journalism founded by Jason Koebler, Emanuel Maiberg, Samantha Cole and Joseph Cox. Covers tech, AI, privacy and internet culture.
From the site: 404 Media is an independent media company founded by technology journalists Jason Koebler, Emanuel Maiberg, Samantha Cole, and Joseph Cox.
Why I recommend it: Some articles may be behind a membership paywall; the homepage and many stories are free to read.
Journalism, PR, communications, social media and content jobs, searchable by role, location and beat. Free to browse and apply without an account.
Why I recommend it: Strong for media, public relations and content-marketing pivots. Many listings link straight to the employer's application page, so it's worth checking even if the headline role isn't a perfect match.
A long-running technology news publication with careful, technical reporting on computing, science, policy and security — deeper than most tech headlines and clear about what is known versus claimed.
From the site: News and reviews, covering IT, AI, science, space, health, gaming, cybersecurity, tech policy, computers, mobile devices, and operating systems.
Why I recommend it: One of the few tech outlets that reads a filing or a paper before writing about it. Free to read, with an optional paid subscription that removes ads.
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.
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.
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.
Security technologist Micah Lee's site — tools, writing and guidance for journalists, researchers and activists working safely.
From the site: Hi, I'm Micah. I help journalists, researchers, and activists stay safe and productive.
Why I recommend it: Follow him for practical security practice rather than theory, especially if your work involves sensitive sources.
TechCrunch report on the new hotline that invites AI agents themselves to report unsafe or unethical instructions they are given, and what researchers hope to learn from it.
Why I recommend it: Useful background on how AI safety work is actually being done in public — good context if you want to talk credibly about AI oversight.
Reporting on a community campaign against a data center's water and energy use during a drought.
Why I recommend it: The clearest single story on what a data center costs the place it lands in.
How Te Hiku Media built te reo Māori speech recognition while keeping control of the community's own data.
Why I recommend it: The best short piece I know on data sovereignty done well.
Reporting on tools people build to slow down or frustrate unwanted AI scraping of their sites.
Why I recommend it: Small-scale technical resistance, explained plainly.
An investigation into healthcare workers striking over conditions and automation in mental-health care.
Why I recommend it: A reminder that automation debates land hardest on care work.
A tracker documenting how technology money shapes news coverage and public narratives about AI.
Why I recommend it: Worth checking before you cite a glowing AI story — see who funded the outlet.
Brazilian coverage and analysis of surveillance, policing technology and digital rights in Latin America.
Why I recommend it: Most AI ethics reading is US- and Europe-centric — this is not.
404 Media reports on leaked internal documents showing that human reviewers read ChatGPT prompts to improve OpenAI's models — including chats that hold sensitive personal information. Useful context before you paste private details into a chatbot.
Free journalism and analysis on nuclear risk, climate change and disruptive technologies including artificial intelligence, from the group behind the Doomsday Clock.
Why I recommend it: Good grounding if you want to argue about AI risk with facts rather than vibes.
Faine Greenwood's independent newsletter on drones, data and technological anxiety, including her global map of drone attacks on civilians.
Why I recommend it: Follow this if you want a specialist voice showing how to build authority in a niche.
An independent publication covering AI policy, safety, and the power dynamics of the AI industry.
Why I recommend it: Clear-eyed reporting on who is steering AI and why. I lean on it when the mainstream coverage feels like press releases.
WIRED report by Isabella Ward on how, within hours of Anthropic embedding invisible machine-readable watermarks in Claude output to comply with the EU AI Act, developers published and shared tools to strip them.
Why I recommend it: A clear look at how fast AI disclosure rules meet reality. Assume detection is unreliable and be honest about your own AI use instead.
Nonprofit publication covering the intersection of technology, platforms, and democratic institutions.
In plain terms: This nonprofit publication provides news, opinion, and analysis on how technology impacts government and democracy. You can read articles and listen to podcasts to stay informed on tech laws, platform regulations, and artificial intelligence ethics.
From the site: Tech Policy Press is a nonprofit media and community venture intended to provoke new ideas, debate and discussion at the intersection of technology and democracy. We publish opinion and analysis.
Why I recommend it: They publish outside contributors — a real place to build a byline in this field.
Newsletter reporting on the fight to reshape technology in the public interest.
In plain terms: This newsletter reports on efforts to reshape technology in the public interest. You can read regular articles to stay informed about technology ethics and industry reform.
From the site: Idea Trafficking. Click to read Hard Reset, by Trafficker 01, a Substack publication. Launched 5 years ago.
Why I recommend it: Skimmable and current — good for staying briefed in ten minutes a week.
Reporting on the political ideology and ambitions of Silicon Valley's power brokers.
In plain terms: This publication offers investigative reporting on the political ideologies and ambitions of powerful technology leaders. You can read articles and analysis to understand how tech industry figures influence government and democracy.
From the site: Silicon Valley tech billionaire politics: authoritarianism, fascism, plutocracy, weirdness
Why I recommend it: Context on who is funding what — helpful when you vet a potential employer.
