Deepfakes aren’t a big problem on Facebook right now, but the company continues to fund research into the technology to guard against future threats. Its latest work is a collaboration with academics from Michigan State University (MSU), with the combined team creating a method to reverse-engineer deepfakes: analyzing AI-generated imagery to reveal identifying characteristics of the machine learning model that created it. more

Deepfakes are an increasing concern for newsrooms with their ability to manipulate video and audio using AI technology, and turn it into something the original version never intended. more

Last year, hate crimes against Asian communities in the U.S. rose by 145%. In 2020, calls for racial justice also swept the world following the killing of George Floyd. With hate crimes against certain communities on the rise, and citizens becoming more aware of such incidents, journalists have been tasked with reporting on them more than before.  more

As a young girl, Mary Rogers loved looking at photos in National Geographic. She dreamed of a job that would take her all over the world, to see the images in the glossy magazine up close. Her journey is part of “No Ordinary Life,” a new film by Heather O’Neill, an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker based in Atlanta. more

On Saturday, Politico media reporter Jack Shafer wrote a column arguing that the primary challenge facing local newsrooms is not supply, but demand. “It’s not that nobody wants to read local news; it’s just that not enough people do to make it a viable business,” Shafer wrote. more

Think of a conspiracy theorist. How do they see the world? What stands out to them? What fades into the background? Now think of yourself. How does the way you see things differ? What is it about the way you think that has stopped you from falling down a rabbit hole? Conspiracy theories have long been part of American life, but they feel more urgent than ever. more

The Associated Press said Tuesday it will no longer run the names of people charged with minor crimes, out of concern that such stories can have a long, damaging afterlife on the internet that can make it hard for individuals to move on with their lives. more

Matt Clary, a longtime member of the newsroom staff, has been named the next editor of the Valley News in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. Publisher Dan McClory announced the news in a memo to employees on Tuesday. more

Despite the chaos and uncertainty of 2020, it was a year of journalistic and financial growth for the nonprofit news industry, leaders said at the Institute for Nonprofit News’ annual conference last week. On Tuesday, INN released its annual report with more details. more

In a shift that could help Google's YouTube sidestep future political controversy, as well as make it more attractive to a broader audience, the social video site has announced that it will stop taking ads related to elections and political content, alcohol, gambling and prescription drugs in its masthead ads. more

As advertising reliance becomes an increasingly redundant, risky and outdated strategy, it is incumbent on publishers large and small to implement strategies which generate revenue from multiple sources. This need is recognized by many industry leaders. A recent survey of media executives by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University revealed “publishers say that, on average, four different revenue streams will be important or very important this year.” more

To aid journalists challenged by covering violence, crisis and tragedy, the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma is launching an innovative training program preparing psychologists to work effectively with news professionals. more

Before the famous and powerful die, notice of their death is often already written. When death comes — the details are polished, dates added, and their stories get shared. Here’s what Poynter discovered from 2.5 years of work, a fellowship and a newsletter. more

The Washington Post today announced the launch of “A Better Week,” a seven-day newsletter devoted to helping readers rebalance their lives in the post-pandemic era. Author Tom Johnson will explore a variety of concepts for readers, including how to improve the perception of time, ways to detach from unimportant issues, and tools for adapting to post-quarantine life. more

David Dennis Jr., a freelance journalist, educator and commentator based in Atlanta, Ga., has joined The Undefeated full-time as a senior writer covering music for the culture vertical of the ESPN multimedia content initiative on sports, race and culture. A frequent contributor to The Undefeated, Dennis will also write long- and short-form pieces on other topics at the intersection of race, culture and sports. more

Graduating cum laude from the University of South Carolina in May, Samantha Winn, 22, was looking for a job in a small tight-knit community to start off her career in journalism. She set her eyes on Aiken and made the move from Columbia with just an air mattress and clothes in tow. She will cover the city of North Augusta. more

Alexandra Koch has joined the Aiken Standard newsroom as a crime and courts reporter. Koch lived outside of Chicago for most of her life and moved to Wilmington, N.C., during her high school years. Koch interned at the Wilmington Star News while still in high school and served as the yearbook editor-in-chief during her senior year. more

News organizations face many headaches. Usually, these revolve around weighing up priorities and making difficult decisions. At FT Live’s Future of News event last week, three editors at major news organizations discussed how they have had to rethink their publications' revenue models. more

To say it is difficult to win a Pulitzer Prize, journalism’s most prestigious award, would be an understatement. Each year, judges sift through more than 2,500 entries in 14 categories to award 21 prizes. But winning a Pulitzer is even harder if you’re a freelancer. more

"Storm Lake," from directors Beth Levison and Jerry Risius, follows the Cullens, Iowa's most impressive journalism family. For more than 30 years, Art Cullen, brother John, son Tom, wife Delores and sister-in-law Mary — plus Art's dog, Peach the newshound — have published The Storm Lake Times, a small-town, twice-weekly newspaper that covers critically important local issues and serves as the glue that holds the community together. But, against the backdrop of a collapsing journalism ecosystem and a crushing pandemic, how can the paper avoid the fate of so many other newspapers? more