Dataharvest 2026 - the European Investigative Journalism Conference

Public archives all over the continent are full of historical stories waiting to be told. From armed conflict and genocide to colonialism or the environment, there are enough subjects that are still very relevant for investigative journalism.

This session will focus on the challenges and, more importantly, the possibilities of working with on-paper archives and analogue photographs. Is it possible to geolocate old prints without metadata or StreetView? Are there any old-school tricks to verify images? And what about AI slop that disguises itself as historical material?

We'll also discuss the importance of historical investigative work, possible subject areas, and useful tools and resources. The session is meant to inspire investigative journalists to dive headfirst into public archives and find relevant stories using their existing skills.