“Unwrapping” Stories That Matter from 2024

“Coded injustice surveillance and discrimination in Denmark’s automated welfare state” | Published on November 12, 2024 

By: Amnesty International’s Algorithmic Accountability Lab (AAL) / Hellen Mukiri-Smith, Hajira Maryam, and David Nolan, Amnesty Tech 

Picked by: 

Nikolas Aronis, Project Manager Ιncubator & Ideas Zone, Journalist 

In focus: 

For more than two years, Amnesty International’s Algorithmic Accountability Lab (AAL) has led a sweeping probe into Udbetaling Danmark (UDK), Denmark’s welfare agency. The findings reveal troubling patterns that echo broader concern across Europe: discriminatory practices of states targeting people seeking benefits, casting a shadow over the very systems that are meant to protect them. Find out more 

The takeaway:

The investigation reveals another disturbing experiment of how European governments, are in pursuit of a “data-driven” state, and how by using AI and machine learning, increasingly enforce migration control, border policies, and social benefit fraud detection. However, these systems risk expanding surveillance and discriminating against marginalized groups, including people with disabilities, racial minorities, migrants, and refugees. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“Reporting from Gaza” | November 1, 2024 

By: United Nations  

Picked by: 

Dimitris Bounias, Head of Incubator & Ideas zone, Journalist 

In focus: 

During his address at the United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East, held in Geneva, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the crucial role of journalism in conflict zones. He expressed deep concern about the ongoing challenges faced by the media in reporting from areas like Gaza, where the presence of international journalists is severely restricted. Guterres highlighted the dangers posed by this suppression of truth, stating: “With so many stories remaining untold, ban of international journalists from Gaza suffocates truth”. 

The takeaway:

If anything has been under the radar in 2024, it’s what’s been happening inside Gaza, save for IDF embed reports. The UN Secretary-General himself condemns the tactic of media blackout that’s been going on since the beginning of the war. I strongly believe, even though it’s not a project but merely lack thereof, it should be on this list. Find out more 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“Elon’s Spies” | Published on November 12, 2024 

By: Alexi Mostrous (Investigations Editor), Gary Marshall (Narrative Editor), Tortoise Media 

Picked by:  

Eleni Kasimou, Community Relations Manager 

In focus: 

“Elon’s Spies” investigates how this free-speech champion uses private investigators and surveillance to target everyone from whistleblowers at his companies, to online critics and people in his own life. Find out more 

The takeaway: 

It’s a solid example of investigative reporting, uncovering little-known stories about power, surveillance, and accountability. The careful research and detailed storytelling shed light on the intersection of technology, privacy, and ethics, offering a thought-provoking listen for those interested in these issues. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“Oil companies leak toxic gas across Texas — making local residents sick” | Published on July 12, 2024 

By: Will Evans, Caroline Ghisolfi, Amanda Drane 

Picked by: 

Kelly Kiki, Project Manager Data Unit, Data Journalist 

In focus: 

A joint investigation by The Examination and Houston Chronicle reveals that tens of thousands of people in Texas live close to oil and gas wells where they risk exposure to hazardous levels of hydrogen sulfide. 

The takeaway: 

It brings complicated and underrepresented issues to the forefront, as well as corporate and administrative accountability. At the same time, it serves as a tool, allowing users to navigate the database and find out if they live near a potentially hazardous site. Find out more 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“How a Canadian company’s encrypted phones ended up in the hands of criminals worldwide” | Published on October 22, 2024 

By: KRIK/OCCRP 

Picked by: 

Kostas Koukoumakas, Journalist 

In focus: 

When SKY-ECC, a Canadian start up launched its ultra-secure phones, its owner could not imagine that the devices would become the main tool for organized crime around the world. He is now facing charges in France and the U.S. and he claims that he couldn’t know how clients could act. It makes sense; however, the KRIK investigation reveals that company’s distributors and resellers had alleged connections to the criminal underworld. Find out more 

The takeaway:

The investigation sheds light on how organized crime operates internationally – part of the story also concerns Greece. It raises the issue of privacy, the development of technology, ethics in journalism and the rule of law. It is also important because journalists who investigate such issues often fall victim to threats, even threats to their lives.  

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“Things Fell Apart” | Published on January 2,2024 – July 17, 2024 

By: BBC Radio 4, Jon Ronson 

Picked by: 

Chrysoula Marinou, Data Journalist 

In focus: 

The culture wars have become a defining feature of American politics, with battles over deeply divided values shaping contemporary society. Writer and podcaster Jon Ronson began exploring the roots of these conflicts in 2020, uncovering pivotal stories and focusing on individuals whose actions sparked ripples that resonate today. In the podcast’s latest season, Ronson examines how key events during the pandemic era, including the killing of George Floyd and the rise of anti-vaccine sentiment, shaped the national conversation and intensified these cultural divides. Find out more 

The takeaway:

The podcast highlights stories that continued to shape American politics long after the pandemic, emphasizing the human element often overlooked in such polarizing debates. 

___________________________________________________________________________

“Unclickable” | Documentary, 2024 

Written by Guy Krief, Directed by Babis Makridis 

Picked by: 

Konstantinos Melitas, Creative Director 

In focus: 

A former tech executive assembles a team of developers in the basement of a building. They have 100 days and one mission: to create AI-driven news websites filled with nonsensical articles and fake news. Using bots to amplify their reach, their aim is to attract advertising revenue and turn a profit. According to the creators, digital ad fraud is the second-largest revenue source for organized crime, surpassed only by drug trafficking. Find out more 

The takeaway: 

Unclickable is not a journalism project—it’s a documentary that dives deep into issues affecting journalism today. Fake websites aren’t the only ones whose metrics are inflated by bots. As a result, analytics are distorted, content gets promoted based on engagement rather than credibility, advertisers lose money, misinformation thrives, journalism suffers, and so does democracy. According to Unclickable, this doesn’t happen by chance but with the full knowledge of tech giants like Google and Meta. Their business models, heavily reliant on advertising, benefit from this flawed system. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

 

“Ripple” | Published on January 11 – April 26, 2024 

By: Dan Leone / Western Sound / APM Studios 

Picked by: 

Panagiotis Menegos, Content & Production Manager Podcasts 

In focus: 

BP catastrophic oil spil in the Gulf of Mexico kept making the rounds of news cycle during 2010. But then it was forgotten. This investigative podcast walks through the clean-up operation revealing the haste to move on without considering the high risk in public health and covering up its contribution to climate crisis. Find out more 

The takeaway: 

This podcast is a great example that sometimes after a big story lurks an even bigger one. It is then that journalistic work is more needed, valuable, yet scarce. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“Alone in the Dark: The Nightmare of Bangladesh’s Secret Underground Prison” | Published on October 17, 2024 

By: Mujib Mashal and Shayeza Walid / Photographs by Atul Loke 

Picked by: 

Anastasia Moumtzaki, Project Manager Bridge, Senior Producer SNF Dialogues 

In focus: 

A long-form report on a story featuring the horrifying “House of Mirrors,” an underground prison for political dissidents in Bangladesh. Find out more 

The takeaway:

It sheds light on the side of reality in this corner of the world that is underreported by most “Western” media and reveals the systematic tactics employed by those in power to suppress dissenting political views, even in nations nominally considered “democracies.” Despite perceptions of progress in some of the world’s poorest countries, these practices persist and lead to global consequences (immigration included). 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“Brain waste” | Published on April 18, 2024 

By: Beatriz Ramalho da Silva, Eva Constantaras, Justin Casimir Braun, Maud Jullien, Tessa Pang, Halima Salat Barre, Ella Hollowood, Alan Smith, John Burn-Murdoch, Daniele Grasso, Borja Andrino, Emilio Sanches Hidalgo, Maria Martin Delgado, Christina Lee, Justin Yarga, Gabriela Ramirez, Pablo Linde 

Picked by: 

Giolanta Ntamadaki, SNF Dialogues, Content Producer 

In focus: 

A joint investigation by journalists from Lighthouse Reports, Financial Times, El Pais, and media partners across Europe, that reveals the exclusion of skilled migrants from the jobs Europe needs most to fill in order to prevent economic decline. The investigation is based on data acquired by Eurostat, while focusing on experiences faced by immigrants in different European countries (Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden). Find out more 

The takeaway:

At a time when anti-immigration rhetoric by far-right parties is surging, it is crucial to examine the key role immigrants play in the economic and social development of a country. This shift in the migration narrative can lead to the introduction of policies addressing labor shortages and paving the way for an equitable society. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“Humans in the Loop” | Published on November 24,2024 

By: Lesley Stahl (correspondent), Shachar Bar-On, Jinsol Jung (producers), Aria Een (Braodcast Associate), April Wilson (Editor) 

Picked by: 

Aggelos Petropoulos, Content Director 

In focus: 

A 60 Minutes investigation on the growing market of “humans in the loop” — workers around the world who help train AI for big American tech companies. They say they face poor working conditions, low pay, and under treated psychological trauma. Find out more 

The takeaway: 

This report offers a rare glimpse into the lives of these workers and their exploitation by both big tech companies and their own governments, which are jeopardizing their health and well-being in exchange for lower unemployment figures. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“The Gaza Project” | Published on June 25, 2024 

By: 50 journalists from 13 news organizations, coordinated by Forbidden Stories 

Picked by: 

George Schinas, Journalist 

In focus: 

A collaborative work with the aim to investigate the killing of journalists in Gaza and the alleged threats, targeting and arrests made in the West Bank since Oct. 7. Find out more 

The takeaway:

As CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna said in New York, “Every time a journalist is killed, injured, arrested or forced into exile, we lose pieces of the truth. Those responsible for these losses face a double trial: one under international law and one before the inexorable gaze of history.” That is why this investigation is important: it turns the eyes to the “right” side of history. 

___________________________________________________________________________

“Civil War” | Fiction Film, 2024  

Written and directed by Alex Garland, starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, and Nick Offerman. 

Picked by: 

Athina Thanasi, Communications Officer 

In focus: 

“Civil War” is a dystopian action thriller by Alex Garland. Set in a war-torn America, it follows journalists risking their lives to reach Washington, D.C., aiming to interview the president as rebel forces close in. Amid combat and moral dilemmas, they face the devastating toll of documenting a nation’s collapse. Find out more 

The takeaway:  

Though not a journalistic film, “Civil War” challenges viewers, especially journalists, to explore the limits of truth-telling, the ethics of war, and the cost of bearing witness. It’s a gripping reflection on journalism’s role in crisis and the power of storytelling in a fractured world. 

________________________________________________________________ 

“The Silent Water of Costa Navarino” | Published on September 2024 

By: Myrto Boutsi, Daphne Karavola 

Picked by: 

Thanasis Troboukis, SNF Dialogues Content Advisor, Data Journalist 

In focus: 

The article “The Silent Water of Costa Navarino” by Reporters United investigates the environmental management of the luxury resort Costa Navarino in Messinia, Greece. While praised for its sustainability, the investigation questions Costa Navarino’s true contribution to sustainability and the protection of the region’s water resources. Find out more 

The takeaway:

This story highlights concerns about the balance between luxury tourism and environmental responsibility in the region and the country as a whole. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

“The program: cons, cults and kidnapping” | Published on March 5, 2024 

By: Katherine Kubler (Executive Producer) 

Picked by: 

Celia Tsigka, SNF Dialogues, Content Producer 

In focus: 

In this investigative docuseries, Katherine Kubler deep dives into America’s “troubled teen industry” by returning to the now-abandoned “Academy at Ivy Ridge”, where she was a former student and was marketed as a therapeutic boarding school for troubled teenagers. Find out more 

The takeaway: 

The behavior-modification facility was shut down in 2009, as it promoted cult-like conditions and imposed extensive physical and psychological abuse on students. The series exposes the complicity of parents and the profit-driven motives and systemic exploitation caused by such programs, which still exist in America and abroad.