News

Air quality sensors aid coverage of health and environment in Africa

A project that uses low-cost air quality sensors to monitor air pollution in seven major African cities is providing data that journalists are using for the first time to enhance coverage of related health and environmental concerns.

Fighting Health Misinformation Requires A Strong Dose of Journalism

When it comes to health, access to accurate and timely information can make the difference between life and death. Yet worldwide we see a growing problem of health misinformation, spreading fast online and promoting fear. The consequences are often dire. That’s why I am building a network of collaborators across Latin America and launching Salud con Lupa, a digital, collaborative journalism platform dedicated to compelling, investigative coverage of public health.

Your Algorithm Hates You

Some of the decisions algorithms make about our lives are fairly benign, such as those irresistible “Suggestions for you” on Netflix. But it gets far murkier when artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are used by businesses and governments for decision-making that affects our lives without us ever knowing about it. And worse, without us being able to appeal against those decisions.

How a Cross-Border Reporting Team Exposed Venezuela’s $28 Billion, Oil-for-Allies Scheme

As Venezuela’s citizens suffer from rampant food shortages, the government is spending billions to bolster political allies in Latin America, a team of pioneering reporters recently revealed in an unprecedented expose.

CONNECTAS, a cross-border investigative journalism organization in Latin America, directed the project, called Petrofraude. Adding heft to CONNECTAS, ICFJ Knight Fellow Fabiola Torres López coached the reporters on their data efforts, helping them clean up and analyze thousands of government records.

Velocidad to Help Latin American News Startups Accelerate Revenue Growth

A pioneering initiative announced today will identify and invest $1.5 million in promising news media startups in Latin America and accelerate their efforts to grow into thriving businesses.

Three Key Strategies for Combating Disinformation

Looking for innovative solutions to fight the scourge of disinformation? Our ICFJ Fellows have come up with three strategies.

New Study Offers a “Starting Point” for Teaching Media Entrepreneurs in Latin America

In Latin America, where news entrepreneurs are an important source of independent news, a growing number of students are interested in learning the skills to launch and sustain media startups. Yet fewer than 3 percent of the universities in Latin America that teach journalism and communications offer courses in entrepreneurship, a new study has found.

‘Implant Files’ Investigation Sheds Light on Dark Side of Medical Devices

Defective medical devices — and the lack of laws or enforcement against them — have killed thousands of patients around the world and put millions more at risk. Deficient implants may be poorly constructed or use untested or fake medical materials. Shoddy implants may fail, causing pain, loss of mobility and even death. Yet, in my country and many others, few people were aware of the hazards. The multi-million-dollar medical implant and medical device companies are shrouded in a myriad of scandals related to conflicts of interest, corruption and abusive practices toward patients.

An App is Helping Save the Lives of Young Men in South Africa’s Eastern Cape

In South Africa’s Eastern Cape, where circumcision of teen boys is a rite of passage to adulthood, unlicensed surgeons too often cause injury and even death. To help reduce the number of botched circumcisions, a pioneering web app developed in partnership with ICFJ Knight Fellow Chris Roper is connecting young men with trained surgeons.

ICFJ Knight Fellow Named Among Africa’s Most Influential

Kenyan journalist Catherine Gicheru, an ICFJ Knight Fellow who champions fact-checking, data and digital innovation to improve the quality of news coverage, has been named by New African magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2018.