404 Media
| 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 |
 | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (December 2024) |
404 Media is an online publication that focuses on technology and internet reporting.[1][2] The publication covers topics such as hacking, sex work, niche online communities, and the right-to-repair movement.[3][4] The publication is worker-owned by its reporters.[5]
History
[edit]
404 Media was founded in 2023 by former staff members of Vice Media's Motherboard after it filed for bankruptcy.[6][7] Among the founding members of 404 Media were Jason Koebler, the former editor-in-chief at Motherboard, along with senior editors Emanuel Maiberg and Samantha Cole, and writer Joseph Cox.[1][3] Fast Company summarized the outlet's creation as "bootstrapp[ing] 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 of its articles a month on the magazine's website.[9]
Business model
[edit]404 Media, incorporated in California as Dark Mode, LLC,[10] is reporter-owned, a model that was inspired by organizations such as Defector Media and Hell Gate.[3] The company offers two paid tiers, from a $100 annual subscription to a $1,000 annual subscription.[8]
In January 2024, the website began requiring email addresses to deter Artificial Intelligence article spinners from scraping its content. As of February 2024, the company reported profitability.[11]
Notable reports and coverage
[edit]In January 2024, the outlet reported claiming that AI-generated rewrites of 404 Media articles had begun to show up on search engines, with some of these AI-generated stories prioritized over the original article on Google Search.[12][13]
During the Taylor Swift deepfake pornography controversy, a 404 Media investigation discovered that the images originated from 4chan and were being distributed on Telegram before making it onto social media platforms.[7][5]
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.[2] 404 Media has also covered how so-called "ghost kitchens", delivery-focused restaurants on apps such as UberEats and DoorDash that sell food from other restaurants, have utilized generative AI to create product images.[14]
Reception
[edit]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 stated that the publication has been noted for "publishing an eye-catching range of stories about the tech sector", and noted that "Not only is it producing good stories but its founders say it is breaking even".[12]
On 25 July 2024, the Electronic Frontier Foundation announced that 404 Media was to receive one of three 2024 EFF Awards for their "incisive investigative reports, deep-dive features, blogs, and scoops about topics such as hacking, cybersecurity, cybercrime, sex, artificial intelligence, consumer rights, government and law enforcement surveillance, privacy, and the democratization of the internet."[15]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Korach, Natalie (August 22, 2023). "Four Top Vice Journalists Launch Independent Tech Publication". The Wrap. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Leeman, Zachary (August 22, 2023). "Former Vice Journos Launch 404 Media After Company's Bankruptcy". The Messenger. Archived from the original on August 22, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c Robertson, Katie (August 22, 2023). "After Vice's Downfall, Top Journalists Start Their Own Tech Publication". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ Bethlehem, Lily (August 23, 2023). "Former Vice Media Staffers Found 404 Media". Jewish Business News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Barwick, Ryan (December 12, 2023). "How new tech publication 404 Media is pitching itself to advertisers". Marketing Brew. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ Bolies, Corbin (August 22, 2023). "Ex-Vice Editors Launch New Outlet Weeks After Bankruptcy Sale". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Moses, Lucia (August 23, 2023). "How 4 Vice alums are building a new media company with ambitions to turn its journalism into film and TV". Business Insider. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Berkowitz, Joe (November 9, 2023). "Why worker-owned publications like Defector and 404 Media are winning". Fast Company. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Roush, Chris (November 4, 2024). "Wired strikes partnership with 404 Media". Talking Biz News. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
- ^ "404 Media Objects to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Subpoena to Access Our Reporting". 404 Media. December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
- ^ Tameez, Hanaa' (February 12, 2024). "Six months in, journalist-owned tech publication 404 Media is profitable". Nieman Lab. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ a b Notopoulos, Katie. "AI spam is already starting to ruin the internet". Business Insider. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ Zeff, Maxwell (January 19, 2024). "Google Sheds Responsibility for AI Sites Dominating Search Results". Yahoo Tech. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ Mendoza, Diego (February 28, 2024). "Willy Wonka fiasco highlights risks of AI-made ads". Semafor. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
- ^ Release, Press (July 25, 2024). "Electronic Frontier Foundation to Present Annual EFF Awards to Carolina Botero, Connecting Humanity, and 404 Media". Electronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
