eBay founder gives $100m to support investigative journalism, fight misinformation and hate speech

eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, an Iranian American born in France, has pledged $100 million through his philanthropic office to support investigative journalism, fight misinformation and counteract hate speech around the world.

It is the largest ever donation of its kind.

$4.5 million will go to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the Washington-headquartered organisation which led the Panama Papers investigation.

Gerard Ryle, who heads the ICIJ, told The Washington Post that the money will allow him to hire more reporters, adding to a staff of 13, and expand his data team with more engineers.

“At a time when autocrats, demagogues, criminals, dodgy businessmen and other shady characters are seeking to enrich and empower themselves at the expense of society, it is more important than ever that journalists can remain the world’s independent eyes and ears,” Ryle said.

Read The Washington Post article here.

Pierre Omidyar