404 Media
Digital media company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
404 Media is an online publication that focuses on technology and internet reporting.[1][2] It covers topics such as hacking, sex work, niche online communities, and the right-to-repair movement.[3][4] It is worker-owned by its reporters.[5]
| Unparalleled access to hidden worlds both online and IRL. | |
| |
Screenshot  Screenshot of the website in November 2023 | |
| Format | Digital |
|---|---|
| Owner(s) | Dark Mode, LLC |
| Founder(s) |
|
| Founded | August 22, 2023 |
| Website | 404media |
History
404 Media was founded in 2023 by former staff members of Vice Media's Motherboard after it filed for bankruptcy.[6][7] Its founding members were former editor-in-chief Jason Koebler, former senior editors Emanuel Maiberg and Samantha Cole, and former writer Joseph Cox.[1][3] Fast Company summarized the outlet's creation as "a spartan setup consisting of a Stripe account and the Ghost web-hosting platform".[8]
In November 2024, 404 Media entered an agreement with Wired to co-publish two articles a month on the magazine's website.[9]
Business model
404 Media is reporter-owned, a model that was inspired by organizations such as Defector Media and Hell Gate.[3] The company offers two paid subscription plans: $100 and $1,000 annually.[8]
In January 2024, the publication began requiring email addresses to deter artificial intelligence article spinners from scraping its content to publish on other websites.
In February 2024, 404 Media was reported to be profitable.[10]
Notable reports and coverage
Artificial intelligence investigations
In January 2024, 404 Media reported that AI-generated rewrites of its articles appeared on spam websites, with some prioritized over the original article on Google Search.[11][12]
Also in January 2024, a 404 Media investigation discovered that images in the Taylor Swift deepfake pornography controversy originated from the website 4chan and were distributed via the Telegram messaging service before appearing on social media platforms.[13]
In February 2024, 404 Media released a report alleging that Tumblr and WordPress were selling users' data to AI companies OpenAI and Midjourney for training purposes.[14] Also in February 2024, 404 Media covered how ghost kitchens utilized generative AI to create product images in food delivery apps DoorDash and Grubhub.[15]
In November 2024, 404 Media published an article about how Wikipedia is responding to an influx of edits made with generative AI.[16]
Reception
In an article about 2024 media industry layoffs, the Financial Times highlighted 404 Media as a successful new media venture amid an "existential crisis" in the industry. The article recognized the publication for its "eye-catching range of stories about the tech sector" and highlighted its profitability.[17]
In 2024, 404 Media was awarded an EFF Award for its "incisive investigative reports, deep-dive features, blogs, and scoops".[18]
References
External links
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