The Signals Network is a nonprofit that supports independent investigative journalism; they’re financially supporting a consortium of five international media groups Die Zeit (Germany), Mediapart (France), The Daily Telegraph (UK), The Intercept (US) and WikiTtribune (Global) as they investigate misuse of “big data.”
The consortium is relying on whistleblowers who have firsthand knowledge of these abuses to come forward. They’re planning joint investigations of these leaks, along with coordinated publication. All told, the organizations have pledged 30 full-time investigative journalists to these investigations. The model is familiar, similar to the ones deployed to report out the Snowden leaks, Luxleaks, the Panama Papers and the Paradise Papers.
“When I came forward with the mass surveillance revelations in 2013, sources had to try and patch together this kind of reporting infrastructure journalist by journalist, in total secrecy, and with crude tools. Protecting the public shouldn’t be that hard. The Signals Network is sending a message to whistleblowers that this time, the newsroom is ready. Exposing wrongdoing has never been easier.” -Edward Snowden, whistleblower and President of the Board of the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Whistleblowers need help. This tech entrepreneur wants to provide it [Michael Hiltzik/LA Times]