Looking to an , we can see that the post was made at the Unix time of 1564848920, which August 3, 2019 at 4:15pm (UTC) — or, in local El Paso time (UTC-6), 10:15am, just before the first reports surfaced of a shooting in El Paso.While all of this could technically be an extremely elaborate hoax, it would require the poster to know the suspect’s name well ahead of time. Additionally, there is the fact that the post was made before any public reports of a shooting, and even longer before the name of the suspected shooter was released to the public, and included information that matched the...…Looking to an , we can see that the post was made at the Unix time of 1564848920, which August 3, 2019 at 4:15pm (UTC) — or, in local El Paso time (UTC-6), 10:15am, just before the first reports surfaced of a shooting in El Paso.While all of this could technically be an extremely elaborate hoax, it would require the poster to know the suspect’s name well ahead of time. Additionally, there is the fact that the post was made before any public reports of a shooting, and even longer before the name of the suspected shooter was released to the public, and included information that matched the...WW…

In just a few years, TikTok has become one of the world’s most successful social networks. The company that its platform is used by over a billion people every month.TikTok’s role during the invasion of Ukraine has changed the common misconception of a website predominantly used by its young users to post videos of lip-synced songs or dance challenges. During Russia’s military buildup, being transported to the Ukrainian border. Since that equipment crossed that border, numerous TikToks have shown missiles, destroyed buildings or the daily life of Ukrainians who have to spend their days in...…In just a few years, TikTok has become one of the world’s most successful social networks. The company that its platform is used by over a billion people every month.TikTok’s role during the invasion of Ukraine has changed the common misconception of a website predominantly used by its young users to post videos of lip-synced songs or dance challenges. During Russia’s military buildup, being transported to the Ukrainian border. Since that equipment crossed that border, numerous TikToks have shown missiles, destroyed buildings or the daily life of Ukrainians who have to spend their days in...WW…

A Telegram post reads: “Dear God, save Russia and Ukraine. We are blessing each other, please forgive us all for our sins: This is how it’s supposed to be!”A Telegram post reads: “Vladimir Putin has upset this balance of the New world order… the balance as people like… Klaus Schwab… Bill Gates… want it” posts a UK channelQAnon is the conspiracy that falsely posits former US President Donald Trump has long worked to defeat a Satan-worshipping, paedophile “cabal” operating within the American “deep state.”Despite Trump being voted out of office and the repeated failure of QAnon prophecies to...…A Telegram post reads: “Dear God, save Russia and Ukraine. We are blessing each other, please forgive us all for our sins: This is how it’s supposed to be!”A Telegram post reads: “Vladimir Putin has upset this balance of the New world order… the balance as people like… Klaus Schwab… Bill Gates… want it” posts a UK channelQAnon is the conspiracy that falsely posits former US President Donald Trump has long worked to defeat a Satan-worshipping, paedophile “cabal” operating within the American “deep state.”Despite Trump being voted out of office and the repeated failure of QAnon prophecies to...WW…

Democracy depends on an informed citizenry and social cohesion. Here’s a look at how misinformation can spread through social media, and why it can hurt our ability to respond to crises.— Barack Obama (@BarackObama)there is no Pokrovsky 4 in MoscowBotsTrollsCyborgs and coordinated campaignsState mediaFunctionally state mediaIndependent, pro-government mediaIndependent media not always favorable to the stateFringe pro-government, Russian outletsFringe non-Russian, pro-Russian outletsYour donation to Bellingcat is a direct contribution to our research. With your support, we will continue to...…Democracy depends on an informed citizenry and social cohesion. Here’s a look at how misinformation can spread through social media, and why it can hurt our ability to respond to crises.— Barack Obama (@BarackObama)there is no Pokrovsky 4 in MoscowBotsTrollsCyborgs and coordinated campaignsState mediaFunctionally state mediaIndependent, pro-government mediaIndependent media not always favorable to the stateFringe pro-government, Russian outletsFringe non-Russian, pro-Russian outletsYour donation to Bellingcat is a direct contribution to our research. With your support, we will continue to...WW…

The arrest of a CNN crew in Minneapolis while broadcasting live on air on May 29th was a shocking event, especially in a country with such strong protections on freedom of speech. However as of the time of writing we have identified at least 50 separate incidents where journalists have been attacked by law enforcement.In these examples journalists have been shot with rubber bullets, targeted with stun grenades, tear gassed, physically attacked, pepper sprayed and arrested.Although in some incidents it is possible the journalists were hit or affected accidentally, in the majority of the...…The arrest of a CNN crew in Minneapolis while broadcasting live on air on May 29th was a shocking event, especially in a country with such strong protections on freedom of speech. However as of the time of writing we have identified at least 50 separate incidents where journalists have been attacked by law enforcement.In these examples journalists have been shot with rubber bullets, targeted with stun grenades, tear gassed, physically attacked, pepper sprayed and arrested.Although in some incidents it is possible the journalists were hit or affected accidentally, in the majority of the...WW…

Left: Ramstein Air Base’s venue page within the Untappd app. Right: A part of a user’s check-in historyLeft: Untappd’s map view when searching for ‘The Pentagon’. Right: Untappd’s search results when searching for ‘The Pentagon’Left: Untappd’s search results when searching ‘Camp peary’Empty map views at Camp Peary’s location, in Untappd (left) and Foursquare (right) Empty map views at Camp Peary’s location, after searching for ‘Camp Peary’ in Untappd (left) and Foursquare (right)However, if we search for “Camp Peary” directly in the Foursquare listings, we get the following...…Left: Ramstein Air Base’s venue page within the Untappd app. Right: A part of a user’s check-in historyLeft: Untappd’s map view when searching for ‘The Pentagon’. Right: Untappd’s search results when searching for ‘The Pentagon’Left: Untappd’s search results when searching ‘Camp peary’Empty map views at Camp Peary’s location, in Untappd (left) and Foursquare (right) Empty map views at Camp Peary’s location, after searching for ‘Camp Peary’ in Untappd (left) and Foursquare (right)However, if we search for “Camp Peary” directly in the Foursquare listings, we get the following...WW…

Update (July 3, 2020) -Since publishing this article on June 5, 2020, we have teamed up with Forensic Architecture to map these incidents on their platform. Today, Forensic Architecture has . The map allows for navigation of the events in, time, and by category of event (i.e., “physical assault”, “pepper spray”, etc.).Together with a team of volunteers, we are also working to map hundreds of other instances of police violence, this time targeting demonstrators and bystanders during the May and June 2020 protests. As part of this larger project, Forensic Architecture has created a submission...…Update (July 3, 2020) -Since publishing this article on June 5, 2020, we have teamed up with Forensic Architecture to map these incidents on their platform. Today, Forensic Architecture has . The map allows for navigation of the events in, time, and by category of event (i.e., “physical assault”, “pepper spray”, etc.).Together with a team of volunteers, we are also working to map hundreds of other instances of police violence, this time targeting demonstrators and bystanders during the May and June 2020 protests. As part of this larger project, Forensic Architecture has created a submission...WW…

An ongoing information operation is using a network of bots made up of newly created and stolen accounts to target a businessman, exiled from China, who has spoken critically of China’s response to COVID-19.Here is an example of the content and style of the tweets:This can be seen in the image above. The red boxes included are clusters that operate within this network to post and amplify the campaign’s agenda.Your donation to Bellingcat is a direct contribution to our research. With your support, we will continue to publish groundbreaking investigations and uncover wrongdoing all around the...…An ongoing information operation is using a network of bots made up of newly created and stolen accounts to target a businessman, exiled from China, who has spoken critically of China’s response to COVID-19.Here is an example of the content and style of the tweets:This can be seen in the image above. The red boxes included are clusters that operate within this network to post and amplify the campaign’s agenda.Your donation to Bellingcat is a direct contribution to our research. With your support, we will continue to publish groundbreaking investigations and uncover wrongdoing all around the...WW…

The same logic is evident across dozens of Boogaloo-focused Facebook groups.What Next?Your donation to Bellingcat is a direct contribution to our research. With your support, we will continue to publish groundbreaking investigations and uncover wrongdoing all around the world.Along with our published content, we will update our readers on events that our staff and contributors are involved with, such as noteworthy interviews and training workshops.…The same logic is evident across dozens of Boogaloo-focused Facebook groups.What Next?Your donation to Bellingcat is a direct contribution to our research. With your support, we will continue to publish groundbreaking investigations and uncover wrongdoing all around the world.Along with our published content, we will update our readers on events that our staff and contributors are involved with, such as noteworthy interviews and training workshops.WW…

While several thousand citizens marched from Peninsula Park, a crowd of hundreds gathered at the Justice Center. There were no police in sight. At one point a black man on a Trike rolled up and started playing “” by Sam Cooke. A dance party ensued:Pretty high fucking mood here in Portland right now— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK)— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos)ENOUGH.I had to leave Portland today because my mother is dying. I am with family to prepare for her final moments. This is hard, this is personal, but so is watching my city get destroyed.I’m coming back NOW. You will be...…While several thousand citizens marched from Peninsula Park, a crowd of hundreds gathered at the Justice Center. There were no police in sight. At one point a black man on a Trike rolled up and started playing “” by Sam Cooke. A dance party ensued:Pretty high fucking mood here in Portland right now— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK)— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos)ENOUGH.I had to leave Portland today because my mother is dying. I am with family to prepare for her final moments. This is hard, this is personal, but so is watching my city get destroyed.I’m coming back NOW. You will be...WW…