Investigating Black Box Technologies, Digital Power, and Its Invisibilities
Journal
Insights on Investigative Journalism
ISBN
9781032763477
Type
book section
Date Issued
2025-09
Author(s)
Abstract
Covering and exposing controversial digital technologies, algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI) applications, and their use in crucial areas of society has recently become a beat for journalists around the world. To shed light on how these systems work, newsrooms and reporters have adopted hybrid strategies and practices, crossing the line into hacking and coding to expose the inner and often obscure functions of “black box” technologies. This has resulted in what can be described as a new field of investigative reporting addressing digital power, which has already exposed several cases of data injustice, discrimination, and abuse perpetrated by algorithmic decision-making systems, surveillance, or automation. This chapter explores this phenomenon, discussing some international case studies and highlighting the implications for contemporary newsgathering and beyond
Language
English (United States)
Keywords
investigative journalism
journalism
artificial intelligence
algorithms
algorithmic accountability
Book title
Insights on Investigative Journalism
Publisher
Routledge