Craig Silverman
@craigsilverman.bsky.social
Cofounder of https://indicator.media, your essential guide to understanding and investigating digital deception. Sign up for free! Investigative journalist and OSINT trainer.
https://craigsilverman.ca
https://craigsilverman.ca
Pinned
Indicator
Indicator is your essential guide to understanding and investigating digital deception.
Indicator.media
I left my job at ProPublica about a month ago.
Here's why: I've teamed up with @mantzarlis.com to launch indicator.media, a new publication dedicated to exposing digital deception and to equipping professionals and the public with knowledge and skills to investigate it.
Sign up for free below!
Here's why: I've teamed up with @mantzarlis.com to launch indicator.media, a new publication dedicated to exposing digital deception and to equipping professionals and the public with knowledge and skills to investigate it.
Sign up for free below!
Reposted by Craig Silverman
America in 2025: Disinformation researchers get their visas revoked, while two DOJ-investigated Russian information operation assets are welcomed back for Christmas.
Briefing: US State Dept restricts disinfo researchers, welcomes back a propagandist
Plus: a new reverse image search tool, tips for cleaning up your digital footprint, and law firms discover AI slop.
indicator.media
December 31, 2025 at 3:42 PM
America in 2025: Disinformation researchers get their visas revoked, while two DOJ-investigated Russian information operation assets are welcomed back for Christmas.
Really enjoyed speaking with @josephcox.bsky.social about OSINT, fact checking, and @indicator.media!
Does fact-checking matter anymore? Today on the pod, @josephcox.bsky.social speaks with @craigsilverman.bsky.social, co-founder of indicator.media about fact-checking and if it actually changes people's minds as Trump "floods the zone with shit."
Watch now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmj4...
Watch now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmj4...
December 30, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Really enjoyed speaking with @josephcox.bsky.social about OSINT, fact checking, and @indicator.media!
Reposted by Craig Silverman
How well did X's Community Notes handle misinformation about the identity of Ahmed al-Ahmed, the man who disarmed one of the Bondi Beach terrorists?
It's complicated...
new on @indicator.media:
It's complicated...
new on @indicator.media:
How the Crabtree conspiracy played out on X’s Community Notes
A case study on crowdsourced fact-checking during breaking news events
indicator.media
December 22, 2025 at 2:24 PM
How well did X's Community Notes handle misinformation about the identity of Ahmed al-Ahmed, the man who disarmed one of the Bondi Beach terrorists?
It's complicated...
new on @indicator.media:
It's complicated...
new on @indicator.media:
Reposted by Craig Silverman
US tech leaders say we need climate-disrupting and water-depleting data centers because we need the US to be the leaders in GenAI innovation. Apparently their idea of innovation is overwhelming our information ecosystems with deception & manipulation.
I've been investigating digital deception for ~15yrs and 2025 was the worst year.
VC-backed bot farms, endless AI slop, industrial level scams, abusive AI nudifiers, Meta paying $ for hoaxes... Deception was legitimized, monetized & shoved down the public’s throat:
indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
VC-backed bot farms, endless AI slop, industrial level scams, abusive AI nudifiers, Meta paying $ for hoaxes... Deception was legitimized, monetized & shoved down the public’s throat:
indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
2025: The year tech embraced fakeness
This year, powerful people, companies, and institutions welcomed digital deception like never before. The rest of us faced the consequences.
indicator.media
December 17, 2025 at 10:29 PM
US tech leaders say we need climate-disrupting and water-depleting data centers because we need the US to be the leaders in GenAI innovation. Apparently their idea of innovation is overwhelming our information ecosystems with deception & manipulation.
Reposted by Craig Silverman
New on @indicator.media:
I asked 53 experts of digital deception from 15 countries to rate the key figures and moments of 2025.
I asked 53 experts of digital deception from 15 countries to rate the key figures and moments of 2025.
Elon Musk is this year’s King of Digital Deception
And some more serious findings – including a great reading list – from our survey of 53 experts
indicator.media
December 17, 2025 at 1:53 PM
New on @indicator.media:
I asked 53 experts of digital deception from 15 countries to rate the key figures and moments of 2025.
I asked 53 experts of digital deception from 15 countries to rate the key figures and moments of 2025.
Reposted by Craig Silverman
New from me!
After we reached out to the owner of these deepfake porn sites, they were removed offline and he deleted his socials.
Each time a site goes down, it's a win for me. Hopefully this guy never tries to get them up and running again.
Check out our investigation!
After we reached out to the owner of these deepfake porn sites, they were removed offline and he deleted his socials.
Each time a site goes down, it's a win for me. Hopefully this guy never tries to get them up and running again.
Check out our investigation!
Bellingcat’s @koltai.bsky.social uncovers the Hungarian national behind two deepfake porn websites. The key figure rakes in profits and vacations in luxury hotels in Dubai and Bali, whilst website visitors create sexually explicit images and videos.
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/12...
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/12...
How We Found the Man Behind Two Deepfake Porn Sites
Business documents, website code and leaked data all led us back to one person profiting off non-consensual sexual imagery of women.
www.bellingcat.com
December 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
New from me!
After we reached out to the owner of these deepfake porn sites, they were removed offline and he deleted his socials.
Each time a site goes down, it's a win for me. Hopefully this guy never tries to get them up and running again.
Check out our investigation!
After we reached out to the owner of these deepfake porn sites, they were removed offline and he deleted his socials.
Each time a site goes down, it's a win for me. Hopefully this guy never tries to get them up and running again.
Check out our investigation!
Reposted by Craig Silverman
From imperialist plushies to multi-legged Macrons, it's been another great year for AI fails.
Here's 35 notable AI-generated errors from 2025:
Here's 35 notable AI-generated errors from 2025:
35 notable AI fails from 2025
Just because it’s "intelligent" doesn’t mean it’s always right
indicator.media
December 15, 2025 at 1:08 PM
From imperialist plushies to multi-legged Macrons, it's been another great year for AI fails.
Here's 35 notable AI-generated errors from 2025:
Here's 35 notable AI-generated errors from 2025:
I spent the last 12 months collecting and testing a wide range of digital investigative/OSINT tools. You can learn about my favorites in my rundown of more than 45 new, updated, or new-to-me tools from 2025:
OSINT 2025: New and updated digital investigative tools of the year
More than 45 tools to help you find, analyze, extract, and collect information
indicator.media
December 11, 2025 at 2:48 PM
I spent the last 12 months collecting and testing a wide range of digital investigative/OSINT tools. You can learn about my favorites in my rundown of more than 45 new, updated, or new-to-me tools from 2025:
I've been investigating digital deception for ~15yrs and 2025 was the worst year.
VC-backed bot farms, endless AI slop, industrial level scams, abusive AI nudifiers, Meta paying $ for hoaxes... Deception was legitimized, monetized & shoved down the public’s throat:
indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
VC-backed bot farms, endless AI slop, industrial level scams, abusive AI nudifiers, Meta paying $ for hoaxes... Deception was legitimized, monetized & shoved down the public’s throat:
indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
2025: The year tech embraced fakeness
This year, powerful people, companies, and institutions welcomed digital deception like never before. The rest of us faced the consequences.
indicator.media
December 9, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I've been investigating digital deception for ~15yrs and 2025 was the worst year.
VC-backed bot farms, endless AI slop, industrial level scams, abusive AI nudifiers, Meta paying $ for hoaxes... Deception was legitimized, monetized & shoved down the public’s throat:
indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
VC-backed bot farms, endless AI slop, industrial level scams, abusive AI nudifiers, Meta paying $ for hoaxes... Deception was legitimized, monetized & shoved down the public’s throat:
indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
Reposted by Craig Silverman
From the moment Zuck shot his hostage video on Jan 7, the tone was set for a year of rampant digital deception.
Platforms rolled back interventions on misinformation, bad actors embraced AI, brainrot infected startup culture, and scam states thrived.
Indicator's 2025 Wrapped for Digital Deception:
Platforms rolled back interventions on misinformation, bad actors embraced AI, brainrot infected startup culture, and scam states thrived.
Indicator's 2025 Wrapped for Digital Deception:
2025: The year tech embraced fakeness
This year, powerful people, companies, and institutions welcomed digital deception like never before. The rest of us faced the consequences.
indicator.media
December 9, 2025 at 1:52 PM
From the moment Zuck shot his hostage video on Jan 7, the tone was set for a year of rampant digital deception.
Platforms rolled back interventions on misinformation, bad actors embraced AI, brainrot infected startup culture, and scam states thrived.
Indicator's 2025 Wrapped for Digital Deception:
Platforms rolled back interventions on misinformation, bad actors embraced AI, brainrot infected startup culture, and scam states thrived.
Indicator's 2025 Wrapped for Digital Deception:
Reposted by Craig Silverman
New from me: It's high time for T&S leaders at big tech platforms to speak up.
We need to hear the US-based VPs of T&S at Apple, Google, Meta, TikTok and other platforms say in one voice that content moderation is not censorship.
We need to hear the US-based VPs of T&S at Apple, Google, Meta, TikTok and other platforms say in one voice that content moderation is not censorship.
Briefing: Trump administration wants to ban foreign fact-checkers and online safety workers
Plus: free tools for analyzing ads and extracting links and emails, and X gets fined by the EU.
indicator.media
December 5, 2025 at 1:09 PM
New from me: It's high time for T&S leaders at big tech platforms to speak up.
We need to hear the US-based VPs of T&S at Apple, Google, Meta, TikTok and other platforms say in one voice that content moderation is not censorship.
We need to hear the US-based VPs of T&S at Apple, Google, Meta, TikTok and other platforms say in one voice that content moderation is not censorship.
Reposted by Craig Silverman
Today on Indicator: 2025 has been a banner year for AI nudifiers. I found another 9,000 ads on Meta since my last report, bringing the total for this year to 25,000. The top 10 nudifying websites got 10 million views in October.
Nonconsensual nude generators had another banner year. What will it take to defeat them?
Deplatforming the companies, debilitating the technology, and deterring the users
indicator.media
December 4, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Today on Indicator: 2025 has been a banner year for AI nudifiers. I found another 9,000 ads on Meta since my last report, bringing the total for this year to 25,000. The top 10 nudifying websites got 10 million views in October.
Reposted by Craig Silverman
Today on @indicator.media: X's Community Notes is shrinking...but not in Japan.
Community Notes: Big in Japan
Why are Japan’s amateur fact-checkers doing better on X?
indicator.media
December 1, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Today on @indicator.media: X's Community Notes is shrinking...but not in Japan.
Reposted by Craig Silverman
A major perk for @indicator.media members is our monthly workshop. This Friday, @craigsilverman.bsky.social will walk folks through how to look for valuable documents hiding in open air, the topic of our latest guide. Upgrade to paid now to attend the workshop!
The Indicator Guide to hunting for documents and files in open buckets, servers, and directories
How to find interesting and potentially confidential documents sitting on a publicly-accessible server or website
indicator.media
November 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM
A major perk for @indicator.media members is our monthly workshop. This Friday, @craigsilverman.bsky.social will walk folks through how to look for valuable documents hiding in open air, the topic of our latest guide. Upgrade to paid now to attend the workshop!
Reposted by Craig Silverman
Today on @indicator.media's (free) Briefing: A twinkle of optimism on the AI slop front as TikTok and Google roll out tools to filter and detect AI content.
I remain bearish about generative AI and info quality. But I’ll celebrate developments that increase user agency and platform transparency.
I remain bearish about generative AI and info quality. But I’ll celebrate developments that increase user agency and platform transparency.
Briefing: Good news on the AI slop front. No, really!
Plus: detecting AI-generated images with SynthID, and advanced archival OSINT
indicator.media
November 21, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Today on @indicator.media's (free) Briefing: A twinkle of optimism on the AI slop front as TikTok and Google roll out tools to filter and detect AI content.
I remain bearish about generative AI and info quality. But I’ll celebrate developments that increase user agency and platform transparency.
I remain bearish about generative AI and info quality. But I’ll celebrate developments that increase user agency and platform transparency.
TikTok & Instagram have been deluged by thousands of videos from female students that praise Jenni, an AI study app. They say it's better than ChatGPT. They say it can improve your grades.
What don't they say? That they were paid to promote Jenni.
What don't they say? That they were paid to promote Jenni.
Thousands of undisclosed ads flooded TikTok to sell AI study apps
Maryland-based Mindgrasp used an army of student creators (and actors) to promote its study tools, without disclosing that they were paid.
indicator.media
November 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
TikTok & Instagram have been deluged by thousands of videos from female students that praise Jenni, an AI study app. They say it's better than ChatGPT. They say it can improve your grades.
What don't they say? That they were paid to promote Jenni.
What don't they say? That they were paid to promote Jenni.
Reposted by Craig Silverman
So fun to see @indicator.media’s audit of AI labels being cited in places as different as Private Eye and The Hindu
(The piece: indicator.media/p/tech-platf...)
(The piece: indicator.media/p/tech-platf...)
November 13, 2025 at 12:10 PM
So fun to see @indicator.media’s audit of AI labels being cited in places as different as Private Eye and The Hindu
(The piece: indicator.media/p/tech-platf...)
(The piece: indicator.media/p/tech-platf...)
Sensitive, confidential & interesting docs are sitting out in the open on the internet. Do you know how to find them?
My new @indicator.media Guide dives into Google dorks & tools that can uncover publicly available docs on websites and in unsecured buckets:
indicator.media/p/guide-to-h... #osint
My new @indicator.media Guide dives into Google dorks & tools that can uncover publicly available docs on websites and in unsecured buckets:
indicator.media/p/guide-to-h... #osint
The Indicator Guide to hunting for documents and files in open buckets, servers, and directories
How to find interesting and potentially confidential documents sitting on a publicly-accessible server or website
indicator.media
November 12, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Sensitive, confidential & interesting docs are sitting out in the open on the internet. Do you know how to find them?
My new @indicator.media Guide dives into Google dorks & tools that can uncover publicly available docs on websites and in unsecured buckets:
indicator.media/p/guide-to-h... #osint
My new @indicator.media Guide dives into Google dorks & tools that can uncover publicly available docs on websites and in unsecured buckets:
indicator.media/p/guide-to-h... #osint
Incredible stuff on LinkedIn. Cofounder of AI notetaker says they told early customers that there's an "AI that'll join a meeting.” But it was really just him and cofounder joining & manually taking notes. No AI. Comments flame him. He posts reply trying to kind of walk it back. Overall: Total bait.
November 11, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Incredible stuff on LinkedIn. Cofounder of AI notetaker says they told early customers that there's an "AI that'll join a meeting.” But it was really just him and cofounder joining & manually taking notes. No AI. Comments flame him. He posts reply trying to kind of walk it back. Overall: Total bait.
Trump posted a screenshot of a totally false claim about Obama collecting gov royalties for use of the name "Obamacare" (lmao)
What's notable is the hoax came from a site + FB page network that I reported is earning big money from Meta's content monetization program: indicator.media/p/brakes-are...
What's notable is the hoax came from a site + FB page network that I reported is earning big money from Meta's content monetization program: indicator.media/p/brakes-are...
November 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Trump posted a screenshot of a totally false claim about Obama collecting gov royalties for use of the name "Obamacare" (lmao)
What's notable is the hoax came from a site + FB page network that I reported is earning big money from Meta's content monetization program: indicator.media/p/brakes-are...
What's notable is the hoax came from a site + FB page network that I reported is earning big money from Meta's content monetization program: indicator.media/p/brakes-are...
Interesting sponsored content from Meta in Canada
omg.
Meta clearly trying to polarize the issue of digital sovereignty by running this in the Hub.
Meta clearly trying to polarize the issue of digital sovereignty by running this in the Hub.
November 9, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Interesting sponsored content from Meta in Canada
For years, I’ve been obsessed with a number.
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
Briefing: Meta's multi-billion dollar scam ad business
Plus: Fox News falls for racist AI slop, and a tool for investigating Discord servers.
indicator.media
November 7, 2025 at 2:10 PM
For years, I’ve been obsessed with a number.
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
What’s the #? It’s the amount Meta earns per year from scam ads. Thanks to @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social, we know it: $16 billion.
Our free @indicator.media Briefing looks at what needs to happen now that we know the number: indicator.media/p/briefing-m...
Reposted by Craig Silverman
This from @craigsilverman.bsky.social's story nails it. The companies generally do not like spam ads or need the revenue from them. They simply can't fight the spam effectively without adding friction that will result in “too much good revenue flushed out”. So they make it OUR problem.
#Regulation
#Regulation
Rob Leathern and Rob Goldman, who both worked at Meta, are launching a new nonprofit that aims to bring transparency to an increasingly opaque, scam-filled social media ecosystem. www.wired.com/story/scam-a...
Scam Ads Are Flooding Social Media. These Former Meta Staffers Have a Plan
Rob Leathern and Rob Goldman, who both worked at Meta, are launching a new nonprofit that aims to bring transparency to an increasingly opaque, scam-filled social media ecosystem.
www.wired.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
This from @craigsilverman.bsky.social's story nails it. The companies generally do not like spam ads or need the revenue from them. They simply can't fight the spam effectively without adding friction that will result in “too much good revenue flushed out”. So they make it OUR problem.
#Regulation
#Regulation
Reposted by Craig Silverman
Today on @indicator.media: I speak to the lawyer representing the New Jersey teen suing AI nudifier ClothOff.
We spoke about the broad coalition of lawyers fighting to shut down these tools of online abuse, the difficulty of getting their owners served, and the claims his client is pursuing.
We spoke about the broad coalition of lawyers fighting to shut down these tools of online abuse, the difficulty of getting their owners served, and the claims his client is pursuing.
Taking an AI nudifier to court: A conversation with the lawyer suing ClothOff
“They shouldn't be out there. They shouldn't be operating," said Shane Vogt, the lawyer for a teenage plaintiff
indicator.media
November 3, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Today on @indicator.media: I speak to the lawyer representing the New Jersey teen suing AI nudifier ClothOff.
We spoke about the broad coalition of lawyers fighting to shut down these tools of online abuse, the difficulty of getting their owners served, and the claims his client is pursuing.
We spoke about the broad coalition of lawyers fighting to shut down these tools of online abuse, the difficulty of getting their owners served, and the claims his client is pursuing.
"The question is whether Grokipedia can succeed not as an alternative to Wikipedia but as a means to delegitimize it. 'Flooding the zone with shit' ... doesn’t necessarily seek to replace institutions of collective knowledge generation; it seeks to deface them."
indicator.media/p/grokipedia...
indicator.media/p/grokipedia...
Briefing: Grokipedia applies a right-wing filter to Wikipedia
Plus: an easy way to search for objects within a video and a new web reconnaissance tool
indicator.media
November 3, 2025 at 12:29 AM
"The question is whether Grokipedia can succeed not as an alternative to Wikipedia but as a means to delegitimize it. 'Flooding the zone with shit' ... doesn’t necessarily seek to replace institutions of collective knowledge generation; it seeks to deface them."
indicator.media/p/grokipedia...
indicator.media/p/grokipedia...