Hacked, Leaked, and Reported: Journalistic Practices and Ethical Concerns in a Turbulent Cyber Landscape
Type
conference contribution
Date Issued
2025
Author(s)
Abstract
Over the past few years, it has become increasingly common for journalists to report on hacked source materials. These digital sources can emerge from various scenarios, ranging from direct actions, where hackers obtain data and documents with the intent of providing it to journalists,to other hack-and-leak operations, cybercrime-related leaks, and data dumps of different kinds. In this turbulent cyber landscape, hacker sources’ rationales, motivations, and ethical boundaries can be blurred, making it difficult to distinguish between crime, espionage, hacktivism, and influence campaigns. This complexity challenges journalists on multiple levels and often makes editorial decisions controversial. This is particularly true when hacked materials come from hack-and-leak operations, where data is obtained through cyberattacks and offered to journalists for its informational or political value. Such cases present greater complexity than, for instance, those involving whistle-blowing or other more established investigative scenarios with controversial sources and techniques.Against this backdrop, this paper examines journalists’ editorial choices, techniques, and verification processes in these circumstances. It does so through qualitative interviews with expert journalists based in the US, Europe and the UK who routinely report on hacked materials and collaborate with hackers across various beats, including technology, cybersecurity, conflict, and political communication. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the editorial and investigative practices of journalists working with hacked materials, particularly regarding journalist-source relationships and the transparency measures they adopt in reporting the origin and nature of these sources. Overall, the paper sheds light on new but increasingly central journalistic practices involved in reporting on cyberspace, cyber issues, or through cyber sources.
Event Title
The 2025 Future of Journalism Conference
Event Location
Cardiff University
Event Date
12/09/2025
Official URL
Subject(s)
Division(s)