Al Jazeera Journalism Review

London-based journalist and digital media researcher with over a decade's experience in various MENA newsrooms as a reporter, presenter and producer. Sara holds an MSc in Media and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), with a particular interest in AI journalism and media development research.
@SKhorsa
Writer’s Articles
Digital Dependency: Unpacking Tech Philanthropy’s Grip on Local News in the MENA
AI-driven journalism initiatives in the Middle East, often backed by philanthropic media development projects, are reshaping local newsrooms under the influence of global tech giants. These efforts, while marketed as support, risk deepening power asymmetries, fostering digital dependency, and reactivating colonial patterns of control through algorithmic systems and donor-driven agendas.