At Local Media Fest 2026, Ordo Digital founder Jon Accarrino outlined three major AI security risks facing publishers and broadcasters — and how news organizations can protect their content while embracing innovation.
Jon will be hosting an LMA webinar on Nov. 10 called “AI for Product: Are You AI-Exposed? Protecting Your News Organization’s Data.” You can register for it here!
Artificial intelligence offers local media companies new opportunities to improve efficiency, develop products and generate revenue. But the technology also introduces risks that many publishers and broadcasters may not fully understand.
Jon Accarrino, founder of Ordo Digital, says some of the biggest threats come from the everyday ways employees interact with AI tools.
“We specialize in providing AI consulting and development services specifically for media companies,” Accarrino said during a conversation with Ryan Welton, host of Local Media Association’s Keep It Local podcast.
The conversation was recorded during Local Media Fest 2026 in August at the Gleacher Center in Chicago.
Drawing on his experience working with broadcasters, publishers and digital media companies, Accarrino identified three major areas where organizations risk exposing valuable information.
1. Sensitive information entered into AI tools
The first risk begins when employees enter confidential company information into AI platforms without understanding how that information may be stored, processed or used.
For news organizations, sensitive information might include unpublished investigative reporting, advertiser records, sales budgets or legal contracts.
“Your data is precious,” Accarrino said.
He cautioned that employees should not assume a tool adequately protects company information simply because it is widely available or because they are paying for a subscription.
Instead, media organizations should understand their AI providers’ data-handling policies, review privacy settings and establish clear rules governing what employees can share.
2. AI scraping and the value of local journalism
The second concern involves AI companies and automated systems accessing publishers’ journalism.
As news organizations explore answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO), Accarrino questioned whether maximizing the visibility of journalism in AI-generated answers necessarily benefits publishers.
“What is the business case for that?” he asked.
Accarrino argued that publishers should distinguish between making their business information discoverable and making their journalism readily available to AI systems.
He recommended optimizing information such as advertising opportunities, audience demographics, company history and recruitment materials for AI discovery.
For journalism itself, he encouraged publishers to explore licensing and content marketplaces that could provide compensation for the use of their work.
Among the companies discussed were TollBit, NewsTex and Dappier, which offer different approaches to content licensing, monetization, analytics and AI-powered experiences.
Accarrino also highlighted Stringer as an example of technology that can help publishers transform written articles and other information into video content for websites and social media platforms.
The broader objective, he said, is to protect the value of original journalism while identifying new ways to generate revenue.
3. Shadow AI and unauthorized tools
Accarrino’s third concern was “shadow AI,” which describes AI tools and applications used by employees outside their organization’s approved technology environment.
That could include an unauthorized browser extension, a downloaded AI application or a custom-built software tool that has never undergone a security review.
Even when an organization approves a particular browser or technology platform, employees may introduce additional risks through unapproved extensions and integrations.
Accarrino emphasized that IT oversight isn’t simply about restricting innovation. It is about understanding which systems have access to company information and whether appropriate safeguards are in place.
For local media companies, the consequences of overlooking those risks could include exposed data, security vulnerabilities and financial losses.
The opportunities — and dangers — of vibe coding
The conversation also explored the growing practice of “vibe coding,” in which users describe the software they want in everyday language and AI tools generate the code.
Accarrino sees considerable potential in the approach.
He described creating tools for clients that convert legacy audio files into modern formats and combine PDF documents without requiring expensive software licenses.
But he cautioned that the stakes change when AI-generated applications handle sensitive information or connect to important business systems.
For example, an employee might build an application to replace a commercial accounting platform, then populate it with actual financial records without adequate security testing.
Accarrino warned that applications developed outside established IT processes can introduce vulnerabilities that organizations may not discover until something goes wrong.
His recommendation is to involve IT departments from the beginning and use approved development environments, hosting services and security controls.
The goal isn’t to prevent employees from experimenting with AI. It’s to make that experimentation safer.
Finding the balance between innovation and security
Throughout the conversation, Accarrino emphasized that local media companies should not have to choose between AI innovation and protecting their assets.
Instead, they need to approach AI adoption with clear policies, appropriate oversight and an understanding of the business value of their information.
For publishers and broadcasters already experimenting with AI, the conversation offers a reminder that data security must be part of the strategy from the outset.
“Be careful with your data,” Accarrino said.
Learn more about Ordo Digital at ordodigital.com.
Keep It Local is a podcast from Local Media Association featuring conversations with the people building the future of sustainable local journalism.
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Editor’s note: Artificial Intelligence was used to transcribe the podcast and create a summary.