Dataharvest 2026 - the European Investigative Journalism Conference

Leaks remain a  powerful source of investigations, but they are becoming harder to handle, authenticate, and secure in an era of mass leaks, AI-generated forgeries, surveillance, and legal pressure on newsrooms.

This hands-on session offers a practical, step-by-step methodology for journalists working with data leaks today, from first contact with a source to post-publication decisions. Based on real investigative cases and newsroom practices, the session focuses on decision-making, security, verification, and workflow, rather than theory.

The session walks participants through the full lifecycle of a data leak, using concrete examples and tools:

- How to evaluate a leak: source motivations, credibility, red flags, and public-interest tests
- How to decide whether to investigate (or walk away) without wasting newsroom resources
- How to verify authenticity in an era of AI-generated documents and manipulated leaks
- How to protect sources, data, and journalists throughout the investigation
- How to make smart editorial, ethical, and legal decisions under pressure
- What to do with data after publication (retain, restrict, destroy, or share)