The Surveillance Newsroom tackles present tense investigations into the rise of surveillance technology. It tackles the complexity of emerging technologies, their adoption by state and supranational actors and questions the push to render people as data. Much reporting casts this technology in a dystopic near future, this newsroom illuminates this datafication and its implications for human rights now.
NEWSROOM SURVEILLANCE
False Promise of Biometrics
Three-country investigation shows digital IDs in Africa failing to deliver promised democratic and development boost, while making fortunes for tech vendors
Automating Distrust
Digital profiling of Dutch low income, minority neighbourhoods spirals, series of local investigations reveals
France’s Digital Inquisition
Taking apart the secretive fraud detection algorithm that scores half of France’s population but pursues the most vulnerable.
Ghost in the network
How a Swiss tech expert runs a global phone surveillance system
Ethnic Profiling
Whistleblower reveals Netherlands’ use of secret and potentially illegal algorithm to score visa applicants
Spain’s AI Doctor
Unpublished documents and inside sources give rare look into secretive AI system used to decide who is shirking work
Suspicion Machines
Unprecedented experiment on welfare surveillance algorithm reveals discrimination
The Algorithm Addiction
Mass profiling system SyRI resurfaces in the Netherlands despite ban
Flight of the Predator
Private jet reveals business spyware web of Israeli tycoon from EU to Africa
Revealing Europe’s NSO
Uncovering major surveillance outfit operating from inside the EU
Junk Science Underpins Fraud Scores
Crude software scoring vulnerable benefit claimants is random and prejudiced
Europe Threatens Popular Encryption
Documents show governments seeking to hack services like Whatsapp and Signal
Biometrics in Africa’s Elections
French multinational made 10s millions despite repeat failures
Europol to be Europe’s NSA?
Investigation uncovers years of unlawful retention of personal data
Inside a Fraud Prediction Algorithm
Obtaining the source code Rotterdam uses to predict benefits cheating
EU Spy Tech in Myanmar
EU funds and techn secretly aid junta in spying on Burmese
What is Palantir Doing in Europe?
Tracing US tech giant roots in EU security, public health, aviation and data