After the kitchen talk: How to challenge big tech and regain public trust in journalism?

Starting from the exhibition’s premise — making the often invisible realities of journalistic work visible — the conversation addressed the growing complexity of today’s information environment. As news competes with influencers, misinformation and AI-generated content in algorithmically curated feeds, quality journalism risks being drowned out, making it increasingly difficult for audiences to distinguish qualitative public interest journalism from other forms of content. At the same time, journalism is deeply embedded in digital infrastructures developed by large technology companies for everyday newsroom work: from communication and collaboration to research, data analysis and investigative practices. This growing dependency raises important questions about control, autonomy and the conditions under which journalism is produced.

Investigative journalist Nico Schmidt pointed to this growing competition for attention on digital platforms for in-depth investigative stories. At the same time, he highlighted journalism’s increasing dependency on digital tools developed by large technology companies that have become essential for conducting investigations. He also noted the expanding role of civil society actors in providing access to relevant data and information, making investigations more collaborative and distributed across different sectors.

Jasmine Erkan, from Tactical Tech’s Exposing the Invisible project, emphasised that investigation is not only a professional activity, but first and foremost a mindset and a set of skills that can be shared more widely. She argued that making investigative methods more transparent and accessible can help demystify journalism and strengthen public understanding of how evidence is gathered and verified.

Building on these perspectives, Sabrina Faramarzi introduced the idea of Full Stack Journalism, which looks beyond content production to the technological infrastructures that shape how journalism is created and distributed. She argued that, in order to regain agency, journalism must not only better understand the tools and platforms it depends on, but also develop its own tailored, open-source solutions designed to meet the specific needs of newsrooms and to be shared across organisations. Furthermore, drawing on examples such as internet blackouts during protests in Iran, participants reflected on how digital infrastructures can be used not only to distribute information, but also to suppress it entirely — raising urgent questions about access, control and the role of journalism under such conditions.

Across the conversation, a recurring theme was the need for collaboration — across borders, disciplines and communities — to investigate complex systems and rebuild trust in journalism. At the same time, regaining agency also requires newsrooms to develop independent technological solutions and share them within the wider journalistic field. Finally, the discussion turned to the role of audiences. Participants emphasised that users are not just passive consumers, but active participants in the information ecosystem, shaping the visibility of content through their everyday media practices.