Reuters Wins Beat Reporting Pulitzer for Meta Investigations

As Reuters, we are honored to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting, a recognition of our fearless and deeply reported journalism that holds powerful institutions accountable. Our investigations into Meta revealed critical truths about the social media giant's operations, exposing how the company knowingly put users, including children, at risk through harmful AI chatbots and generated billions from fraudulent advertisements on its platforms.

Our technology investigations reporter Jeff Horwitz, alongside China correspondent Engen Tham, utilized previously undisclosed internal documents and employed innovative techniques, such as testing Facebook and Instagram accounts, to uncover the secrets of Meta's business model. These reports detailed how Meta's internal guidelines permitted "sensual" conversations between AI chatbots and children, and how the company profited significantly from illicit advertising, with an estimated 10% of its annual revenue, or about $16 billion, coming from scams.

The impact of this reporting has been substantial, sparking regulatory investigations and litigation globally. Meta itself has been prompted to reform key practices, including revising its AI guidelines to prevent romantic interactions with minors following the outcry over chatbot coverage. Reuters was also a finalist in two other Pulitzer categories, underscoring our commitment to impactful journalism across various fields.

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These extraordinary recognitions reflect the very best of Reuters journalism: fearless, deeply reported, original work that holds powerful institutions to account