Forbidden Stories
Forbidden Stories is a Paris-based non-profit (Freedom Voices Network) that coordinates collaborative investigative journalism through a network of 130+ media outlets and the SafeBox program for 258 threatened journalists across 41 countries, continuing silenced reporters' unfinished work and funding operations via donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Forbidden Stories does
Forbidden Stories is a Paris-headquartered non-profit journalism organization (legally published by Freedom Voices Network, a French 1901 Law association) founded in 2017 that operates under the principle "if a journalist falls, others rise and collectively continue their work." Its primary product is the SafeBox Network, a secure mechanism through which 258 highly-threatened journalists across 41 countries store and share their ongoing investigations; if a SafeBox member is assassinated or jailed, Forbidden Stories and its media partners continue and publish the work. The organization coordinates collaborative investigations with 130+ international media outlets including Le Monde, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and France 24, covering environmental crimes, corruption, human rights, disinformation, and surveillance. Recent flagship projects include the Gaza Project (targeting of journalists in Gaza, IJ4EU Impact Award 2025), the Viktoriia Project (continuation of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna's work after her death in Russian captivity, republished by 600+ outlets), and the Propaganda Machine investigation into Russian influence operations.
The business model is non-commercial: services are free for journalists under threat, with no subscription or pricing structure. Revenue derives from individual donations (anonymous giving available) and institutional funding from foundations supporting press freedom. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on trust-based peer referrals within the journalism community, formal media partnership agreements for republication, and an extensive social/web presence (Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, newsletter) for awareness. Output is distributed through media partner republication (the dominant distribution channel), direct publication on forbiddenstories.org, and public exhibitions such as the Gaza Project exhibition at the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award. The organization has demonstrated measurable regulatory impact, including EU sanctions on a Haitian senator and on three Taganrog prison officials in November 2025.
Forbidden Stories firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forbidden Stories
- Legal name
- Freedom Voices Network
- Website
- https://forbiddenstories.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Forbidden Stories is a Paris-based non-profit (Freedom Voices Network) that coordinates collaborative investigative journalism through a network of 130+ media outlets and the SafeBox program for 258 threatened journalists across 41 countries, continuing silenced reporters' unfinished work and funding operations via donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forbidden Stories industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investigative Journalism Services
- NAICS
- Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), All Other Publishers (513199)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights (BPADAGAE)
Keywords
Where Forbidden Stories is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Forbidden Stories business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual donations through the website, with options for anonymous giving
- Institutional Funding: Funding from various institutional donors, foundations, and organizations that support press freedom and investigative journalism
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
Forbidden Stories product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forbidden Stories is a non-profit journalism organization that coordinates collaborative investigative projects and operates the SafeBox Network, a secure mechanism allowing threatened journalists to store and share their ongoing investigations so that Forbidden Stories can continue and publish their work if they are assassinated, imprisoned, or silenced. The organization runs flagship projects such as the Gaza Project and the Viktoriia Project in collaboration with international media partners, focusing on environmental crimes, corruption, and human rights violations.
Product overview
Forbidden Stories is a non-profit investigative journalism organization that operates primarily through its SafeBox Network, a secure mechanism for threatened journalists to store their investigations. The organization coordinates collaborative investigative projects on press freedom, human rights, corruption, and geopolitical issues. Key projects include the Gaza Project, Viktoriia Project, and Propaganda Machine investigations. The organization also produces documentary films through its Forbidden Films initiative.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SafeBox Network A secure mechanism offered free of charge to threatened journalists who can store and share their ongoing investigations with Forbidden Stories; if the journalist is assassinated or jailed, the organization continues and publishes their work. Currently used by 258 highly-threatened journalists across 41 countries.
- Investigations Platform Collaborative investigative journalism projects coordinated by Forbidden Stories in partnership with 130+ international media outlets, covering topics including energy extraction, human rights, corruption, disinformation, foreign influence operations, environmental crimes, mining, and cyber surveillance.
- Viktoriia Project Investigation continuing the work of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity while investigating the illegal detention of civilians in Russian-occupied Ukraine; coordinated by Forbidden Stories with 45 journalists and republished by over 600 media outlets worldwide within seven days.
- Gaza Project Investigation into the killing of journalists in Gaza and the targeting of media buildings by the Israeli army since October 7, 2023; coordinated by Forbidden Stories with more than a dozen media partners and recognized with the 2025 IJ4EU Impact Award.
- Propaganda Machine Investigation into Russian foreign intelligence operations and influence campaigns targeting elections and political processes globally, covering disinformation operations in countries including Argentina and across the Sahel.
- Forbidden Films Documentary filmmaking initiative that continues the work of journalists who have been killed or threatened, producing long-form visual journalism based on Forbidden Stories investigations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 130 media outlets have collaborated with Forbidden Stories since its creation
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Forbidden Stories
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Forbidden Stories technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Forbidden Stories partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Freedom Voices NetworkcoreFreedom Voices Network is the legal entity that publishes the Forbidden Stories website. It is a non-profit organization registered in France under the 1901 Law of Associations (RNA W 774006102 / RCS PARIS 837 870 591).
- Media Partner Outletscore130+ international media outlets collaborate with Forbidden Stories on investigations. Partners include France 24, Le Monde, IStories, Der Standard, Der Spiegel, Ukrainian Pravda, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Die Zeit, ZDF, Le Monde, RFI, Le Soir (Belgium), Knack (Belgium), RTS (Switzerland), la Repubblica (Italy), SVT (Sweden), RTBF (Belgium), Expresso (Portugal), Africa Uncensored (Kenya), and Aristegui (Mexico).
- Viktoriia Project ConsortiumflagshipThe Viktoriia Project was coordinated by Forbidden Stories with 45 journalists continuing the work of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna. The investigation was picked up by over 600 media outlets worldwide within seven days.
- Gaza Project ConsortiumflagshipThe Gaza Project coordinated by Forbidden Stories involved more than a dozen media partners investigating the targeting of Gazan journalists and media buildings by the Israeli army.
- Viktoriia Project - Mali Investigation PartnerscoreFrance 24, Le Monde, and IStories partnered with Forbidden Stories on the investigation into Wagner's secret prisons in Mali as part of the Viktoriia Project.
- SafeBox Network Memberscore258 highly-threatened journalists securely share their ongoing investigations through the SafeBox Network. Members include journalists from Nigeria, South Africa, Philippines, Brazil, and Indonesia who face threats of assassination or imprisonment.
- OCTOPUCE SARLminorWebsite hosting provider located at 25 rue Popincourt, 75011 Paris, registered in the Paris Trade and Companies Register under number RCS Paris B 480 189 067.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Forbidden Stories competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Paris-based international NGO advocating for press freedom and providing protection to journalists worldwide. Directly comparable in mission (press freedom protection), geography (Paris HQ), and constituency (threatened journalists and media partners).
- Index on Censorship: UK-based nonprofit promoting freedom of expression and tracking threats to journalists and writers. Directly comparable in advocacy for press freedom and publication of investigations on press freedom violations.
- Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting: US-based nonprofit that funds and produces investigative journalism on underreported global issues. Comparable in mission to elevate investigative reporting on human rights and corruption, with similar grant-funding model and impact journalism focus.
- Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN): International association of investigative journalism organizations providing training, resources, and conferences. Comparable as a peer network organization serving investigative journalists globally, with significant overlap in partner outlets and membership.
- International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ): Coordinates cross-border investigative journalism projects among 100+ media partners. Directly comparable collaborative-investigation model, media-partner network structure, and cross-border publication approach (e.g., Panama Papers, Pandora Papers).
- Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP): Investigative journalism network producing cross-border reporting on organized crime and corruption. Highly comparable in collaborative-investigation model, geographic reach into Eastern Europe and developing regions, and partnership with regional media outlets.
- European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF): European organization providing rapid response legal and practical support to journalists under threat. Directly comparable in press-freedom protection mission and was the awarding body for the IJ4EU Impact Award received by Forbidden Stories.
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): New York-based nonprofit that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists worldwide. Closely comparable in constituency (at-risk journalists), advocacy function, and production of public-impact reporting on attacks against press.
Broad incumbents
- International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): Largest global federation of journalists' trade unions representing over 600,000 journalists in 146 countries. Broader incumbent peer providing journalist safety, advocacy, and union representation; complementary to but larger and more union-focused than Forbidden Stories' model.
Emerging players
- Bellingcat: Netherlands-based open-source investigative collective producing high-impact investigations using digital tools. Comparable in mission (investigative journalism on conflict, human rights) and use of innovative methods, though more focused on open-source intelligence than journalist-safety infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Forbidden Stories social profiles
Digital presenceForbidden Stories financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forbidden Stories leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Forbidden Stories funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forbidden Stories M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forbidden Stories
What does Forbidden Stories do?
Forbidden Stories is a non-profit journalism organization that coordinates collaborative investigative projects and operates the SafeBox Network, a secure mechanism allowing threatened journalists to store and share their ongoing investigations so that Forbidden Stories can continue and publish their work if they are assassinated, imprisoned, or silenced. The organization runs flagship projects such as the Gaza Project and the Viktoriia Project in collaboration with international media partners, focusing on environmental crimes, corruption, and human rights violations.
Is Forbidden Stories a public or private company?
Forbidden Stories is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Forbidden Stories founded?
Forbidden Stories was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Forbidden Stories based?
Forbidden Stories is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Forbidden Stories make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are institutional Funding.
Who are Forbidden Stories's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Index on Censorship, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is listed as a broad incumbent. Bellingcat is listed as an emerging player.
Does Forbidden Stories have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forbidden Stories.
What industry is Forbidden Stories in?
Forbidden Stories's product category is Investigative Journalism Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAGAE, Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights. Its NAICS code is 516 and its SIC code is 2741.