Indicator
@indicator.media
Indicator.media publishes original reporting, in-depth investigations, and practical tutorials on OSINT tools & techniques. We provide engaged citizens and professionals with the knowledge they need to fight digital deception.
The debate over the Bondi beach hero serves as a valuable case study of the strengths and weaknesses of Community Notes – X’s crowdsourced fact-checking feature that has been imitated by Meta and TikTok
How the Crabtree conspiracy theory played out on X’s Community Notes
A case study on crowdsourced fact-checking during breaking news events
indicator.media
December 23, 2025 at 1:35 AM
The debate over the Bondi beach hero serves as a valuable case study of the strengths and weaknesses of Community Notes – X’s crowdsourced fact-checking feature that has been imitated by Meta and TikTok
Reposted by Indicator
Even with an available fact-check, Twitter/X failed to display it on 80% of the posts misidentifying the Bondi Beach hero.
indicator.media/p/how-the-cr...
indicator.media/p/how-the-cr...
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 3:43 PM
Even with an available fact-check, Twitter/X failed to display it on 80% of the posts misidentifying the Bondi Beach hero.
indicator.media/p/how-the-cr...
indicator.media/p/how-the-cr...
Reposted by Indicator
The bad news is that high precision comes at the expense of terrible recall. 80% of tweets that misidentified the Bondi beach hero did not show a crowdsourced fact check even though one was readily available.
Like this one:
Like this one:
December 22, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The bad news is that high precision comes at the expense of terrible recall. 80% of tweets that misidentified the Bondi beach hero did not show a crowdsourced fact check even though one was readily available.
Like this one:
Like this one:
Reposted by Indicator
Reposted by Indicator
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 Indicator
Reposted by Indicator
The Digital Deception awards by Indicator Media are out...
I will be a contrarian here, I'm not among the voters but I think AI in Community Notes has significant positive potential. 🤷♀️ Not bc of factuality -human voters/reviewers matter- but for neutral language.
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
I will be a contrarian here, I'm not among the voters but I think AI in Community Notes has significant positive potential. 🤷♀️ Not bc of factuality -human voters/reviewers matter- but for neutral language.
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
December 17, 2025 at 7:38 PM
The Digital Deception awards by Indicator Media are out...
I will be a contrarian here, I'm not among the voters but I think AI in Community Notes has significant positive potential. 🤷♀️ Not bc of factuality -human voters/reviewers matter- but for neutral language.
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
I will be a contrarian here, I'm not among the voters but I think AI in Community Notes has significant positive potential. 🤷♀️ Not bc of factuality -human voters/reviewers matter- but for neutral language.
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
Reposted by Indicator
I'm quoted in the Indicator end of year newsletter
https://indicator.media/p/elon-musk-is-this-year-s-king-of-digital-deception?gift_content=53363763-29b4-4e41-af4d-e7f52601e919
Come at me pessimists!
https://indicator.media/p/elon-musk-is-this-year-s-king-of-digital-deception?gift_content=53363763-29b4-4e41-af4d-e7f52601e919
Come at me pessimists!
December 18, 2025 at 7:42 AM
I'm quoted in the Indicator end of year newsletter
https://indicator.media/p/elon-musk-is-this-year-s-king-of-digital-deception?gift_content=53363763-29b4-4e41-af4d-e7f52601e919
Come at me pessimists!
https://indicator.media/p/elon-musk-is-this-year-s-king-of-digital-deception?gift_content=53363763-29b4-4e41-af4d-e7f52601e919
Come at me pessimists!
Craig was on On the Media!
He spoke about our analysis of the year in digital deception, which is free to read: indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
He spoke about our analysis of the year in digital deception, which is free to read: indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
New pod is up and it's a good one! Brooke speaks with @craigsilverman.bsky.social of @indicator.media about the digital fakery that defined 2025. Listen:
Big Tech Embraced Fakeness in 2025 | On the Media | WNYC Studios
This year, Silicon Valley poured its collective resources in AI. Billions and billions of dollars. But behind the snazzy ads and glowing endorsements, some users and journalists are ...
www.wnycstudios.org
December 18, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Craig was on On the Media!
He spoke about our analysis of the year in digital deception, which is free to read: indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
He spoke about our analysis of the year in digital deception, which is free to read: indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
Reposted by Indicator
35 notable AI fails from 2025: indicator.media/p/35-notable... @indicator.media
35 notable AI fails from 2025
Just because it’s "intelligent" doesn’t mean it’s always right
indicator.media
December 18, 2025 at 7:28 AM
35 notable AI fails from 2025: indicator.media/p/35-notable... @indicator.media
Reposted by Indicator
Pleased to contribute to this, many excellent observations and reading recs!
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 8:36 PM
Pleased to contribute to this, many excellent observations and reading recs!
Reposted by Indicator
Elon Musk easily won the "worst tech CEO" category, with Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman battling it out for second place.
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
December 17, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Elon Musk easily won the "worst tech CEO" category, with Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman battling it out for second place.
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
indicator.media/p/elon-musk-...
Reposted by Indicator
In case you missed it, @craigsilverman.bsky.social and @mantzarlis.com initiated a poll to designate the ´Not-by-FIFA-sponsored Prize for the most detrimental effect on online information quality 2025´.
🥇 And the winner is...
🥇 And the winner is...
December 17, 2025 at 12:54 PM
In case you missed it, @craigsilverman.bsky.social and @mantzarlis.com initiated a poll to designate the ´Not-by-FIFA-sponsored Prize for the most detrimental effect on online information quality 2025´.
🥇 And the winner is...
🥇 And the winner is...
Reposted by Indicator
Thank you @craigsilverman.bsky.social for highlighting my Nieman prediction for 2026 in this briefing. A top tip for the year to come is following @indicator.media to build your visual investigative skills → indicator.media/p/briefing-l...
Briefing: Liam Neeson narrated an antivax documentary
Plus: tools for analyzing Reddit and visualizing network graphs.
indicator.media
December 17, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Thank you @craigsilverman.bsky.social for highlighting my Nieman prediction for 2026 in this briefing. A top tip for the year to come is following @indicator.media to build your visual investigative skills → indicator.media/p/briefing-l...
This tracks!
If you want to dig even deeper into the slopiverse, check out our taxonomy of the phenomenon: indicator.media/p/a-tentativ...
If you want to dig even deeper into the slopiverse, check out our taxonomy of the phenomenon: indicator.media/p/a-tentativ...
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 9:56 PM
This tracks!
If you want to dig even deeper into the slopiverse, check out our taxonomy of the phenomenon: indicator.media/p/a-tentativ...
If you want to dig even deeper into the slopiverse, check out our taxonomy of the phenomenon: indicator.media/p/a-tentativ...
Reposted by Indicator
This is valuable but not at all surprising to me given the frequency with which @indicator.media finds that it is Chinese advertisers behind scam nudifiers and pornbait ads.
see for ex:
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-t...
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-4...
see for ex:
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-t...
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-4...
Meta tolerates rampant ad fraud from China to safeguard billions in revenue
A Reuters investigation reveals the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp decided to accept high levels of fraudulent advertisements from China. Internal company documents show Meta wanted to mini...
www.reuters.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:53 PM
This is valuable but not at all surprising to me given the frequency with which @indicator.media finds that it is Chinese advertisers behind scam nudifiers and pornbait ads.
see for ex:
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-t...
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-4...
see for ex:
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-t...
> indicator.media/p/meta-ran-4...
Reposted by Indicator
for real sickos, here's a taxonomy of slop published on @indicator.media earlier this year
A tentative taxonomy of AI slop
Slop is everywhere, but not all of it is the same
indicator.media
December 15, 2025 at 9:19 PM
for real sickos, here's a taxonomy of slop published on @indicator.media earlier this year
Reposted by Indicator
2025: The year tech embraced fakeness: 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 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM
2025: The year tech embraced fakeness: indicator.media/p/2025-the-y...
Reposted by Indicator
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:
Reposted by Indicator
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:
Reposted by Indicator
Reposted by Indicator
Definita una mossa per bloccare “chi censura”, in realtà è una decisione pericolosa e insensata con basi legali fragili che fa parte di uno sforzo coordinato per trasformare gli spazi online in luoghi senza legge dove a vincere è il più forte.
L'analisi di @indicator.media👇
L'analisi di @indicator.media👇
L’amministrazione Trump vuole negare il visto ai fact-checker stranieri e a chi si occupa di sicurezza online | Facta
Definita una mossa per bloccare “chi censura”, in realtà è una decisione pericolosa e insensata con basi legali fragili
www.facta.news
December 10, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Definita una mossa per bloccare “chi censura”, in realtà è una decisione pericolosa e insensata con basi legali fragili che fa parte di uno sforzo coordinato per trasformare gli spazi online in luoghi senza legge dove a vincere è il più forte.
L'analisi di @indicator.media👇
L'analisi di @indicator.media👇
Reposted by Indicator
Pretty much all the worst-case scenarios we have been predicting through our research in the last 10-15 years are coming true. Sad but excellent year-in-review by @craigsilverman.bsky.social and @mantzarlis.com
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 10, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Pretty much all the worst-case scenarios we have been predicting through our research in the last 10-15 years are coming true. Sad but excellent year-in-review by @craigsilverman.bsky.social and @mantzarlis.com
Reposted by Indicator
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 Indicator
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: