Whistleblowing platforms and investigative journalism organizations play a critical role in exposing government and corporate misconduct. Many of these sites operate on the dark web to ensure anonymity for whistleblowers and protect them from surveillance and retaliation. Secure drop sites allow sources to leak sensitive information safely, often utilizing SecureDrop or Tor-based communication channels.

This guide categorizes major whistleblowing platforms, investigative networks, and media organizations that provide secure leak submission options.

Hacker & Whistleblowing Platforms

These organizations focus on exposing corruption, human rights abuses, and security vulnerabilities while ensuring anonymity for whistleblowers.

2600: The Hacker Quarterly

A long-standing magazine dedicated to hacking culture, cybersecurity, and privacy advocacy. It remains influential within the global hacker community.

Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets)

A nonprofit collective that publishes leaked documents on government corruption, cybercrime, and corporate misconduct. Often viewed as a successor to WikiLeaks, it prioritizes transparency and investigative research.

Forbidden Stories

An international journalism network that continues the work of imprisoned, exiled, or assassinated reporters, ensuring their investigations reach the public despite censorship or threats.

Whistleblower Aid

A nonprofit offering legal and technical support to individuals exposing wrongdoing within governments or corporations. It provides secure communication channels to protect sources.

WildLeaks

Focused on environmental crime, WildLeaks provides a platform for reporting illegal wildlife trade, poaching, and ecological exploitation, managed by the Elephant Action League.

WikiLeaks

One of the most well-known whistleblowing platforms, WikiLeaks has published classified government documents, military files, and corporate leaks, including the U.S. diplomatic cables and NSA surveillance programs.

Regional Whistleblowing Platforms

Several platforms operate within specific regions to expose local corruption, human rights violations, and political abuses.

NawaatLeaks

An Arabic-language platform operated by Nawaat, dedicated to exposing government misconduct and human rights abuses across the Middle East and North Africa.

Filtrala

A Spanish whistleblowing initiative run by the Associated Whistleblowing Press, providing a secure submission platform for leaks related to political and corporate corruption in Spain and Latin America.

Ljost

An Icelandic whistleblowing platform offering a secure channel for leaks concerning Nordic governments and corporate entities, ensuring protection for sources.

Investigative News Outlets with Secure Leak Submission Channels

Many mainstream media organizations have implemented SecureDrop or Tor-based drop sites to allow whistleblowers to submit documents anonymously.

Global Investigative Journalism

• The Guardian – Published Edward Snowden’s revelations on NSA surveillance and frequently handles high-profile leaks.
• The New York Times – Offers a SecureDrop for confidential leaks and has published numerous government and corporate whistleblower stories.
• The Washington Post – Known for investigative work on political scandals, including NSA surveillance leaks and government corruption.
• The Intercept – Specializes in national security reporting and intelligence leaks, founded by Glenn Greenwald.
• ProPublica – A nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism on corruption, power abuses, and systemic injustices.
• The Markup – A digital news outlet focused on data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the societal impact of technology.
• The New Yorker – Publishes in-depth investigative journalism, including whistleblower accounts related to corporate and political corruption.

Finance & Business Journalism

• Financial Times – Investigates corporate fraud, regulatory failures, and economic crimes.
• Bloomberg News & Bloomberg Law – Covers financial scandals, regulatory breaches, and corporate misconduct.

Broadcast & National News Outlets

• ABC News – Conducts investigative journalism into politics, business corruption, and social justice issues.
• Al Jazeera Media Network – Provides independent reporting on global conflicts, authoritarian regimes, and human rights violations.
• CBC News (Canada) – Offers an investigative unit focused on corporate wrongdoing and government mismanagement.
• CNN International – Covers global political affairs, security leaks, and corporate scandals.
• NRK (Norway) – Norway’s public broadcaster with a strong investigative division.
• TV 2 (Denmark) – A Danish broadcaster focused on political and business investigations.
• Toronto Star (Canada) – A major newspaper with a history of exposing corporate and government corruption.
• The Globe and Mail (Canada) – Known for investigative journalism on public-sector mismanagement and fraud.

Technology & Cybersecurity Reporting

• TechCrunch – Reports on cybersecurity threats, data breaches, and corporate ethics in the tech industry.
• Independent Media Center – A decentralized media collective covering grassroots activism and social justice reporting.

European Investigative Journalism

• Aftenposten (Norway) – One of Norway’s largest newspapers, with a strong focus on investigative journalism.
• Dagbladet (Norway) – A Norwegian tabloid known for political and corporate investigations.
• Politico (U.S. & Europe) – Investigates government scandals, policymaking corruption, and whistleblower cases.
• Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany) – Played a key role in exposing the Panama Papers, which revealed global offshore tax havens.