3 ms·

they're obviously a threat-intel company first. So create something that generates value (that receives the funding) and then set up a company blog that poses a

they're obviously a threat-intel company first. So create something that generates value (that receives the funding) and then set up a company blog that poses as a "legitimate journalistic outfit without an agenda". Final step is to produce only quality content 98% of the time and the 2% of times when you should be critical to your own side turn a blind eye. Classic playbook for all propaganda operations (regardless if they're US/RU/CN/whatevs). the tragedy of all cyber reporting is that there can be no neutral party. the moment you need to call out your own camp you'll lose support/protection and legitimacy to exist (e.g. imagine Bellingcat being vocal of anything that happens within FVEY. Unthinkable!)

nurgasemetey 6y ago
This. I stopped reading Bellingcat reports. I don't remember any huge Bellingcat report that is related with non-Russia.
- ricktdotorg 6y ago
  wait, so what is the inference here with Bellingcat? that they are funded by CIA / gov.ru? and that they tell mostly the truth, but willfully withhold certain things detrimental to their financial masters?
  - DyslexicAtheist 6y ago
    no. what is insinuated is Bellingcat enjoy connections with GCHQ & MI6. Eliot Higgins is close to the British IC, gives talks at Atlantic Council and trades info with them. Bellingcat (despite the great work they do IMHO) certainly does not get Russian passport details simply by hacking or by asking some "corrupt" Russians working for the state for help. So you can probably trust most of what they say but not how they get their info or that they are simply a "hacktivist / citizen jorno" outfit (they'd be dead since long time if that would be all) At least until I've seen them uncover something as big as Skripal or the MH17 (within the FVEY) I wouldn't believe their claims of being "independent". Which will never happen because you don't bite the hand that feeds. Anyone playing in that league will not survive very long (quite literally) unless they get security benefits needed (which requires affiliation). There doesn't have to be a conspiracy. That protection comes at a cost of bias (it's not required when everyone around you and most importantly yourself believes you're part of the good guys).
    - iudqnolq 6y ago
      I too found the "corrupt officials" hard to believe, but there's a surprising amount of evidence for it. In general the Russian government has a surprisingly middling level of control over society compared to somewhere like China. Other Russian news orgs also buy personal data, try looking at Meduza for example.
- goatsi 6y ago
  Sounds like an issue with what is being surfaced in your social/news bubble. If you go to their site you can certainly find deep dives into many other areas: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2021/04/01/mahbere-dego-clues-to-a-clifftop-massacre-in-ethiopia/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2021/04/01/mahbere-dego-clue... https://www.bellingcat.com/news/africa/2017/02/20/tracking-nigerian-armed-forces-coin-offensive-north-east-nigeria/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/africa/2017/02/20/tracking-n...
strictnein 6y ago
> imagine Bellingcat being vocal of anything that happens within FVEY Yes, imagine if they covered things in the US: https://www.bellingcat.com/tag/usa/ https://www.bellingcat.com/tag/usa/ Ex: "US Law Enforcement Are Deliberately Targeting Journalists During George Floyd Protests" https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2020/05/31/us-law-enforcement-are-deliberately-targeting-journalists-during-george-floyd-protests/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2020/05/31/us-law-e...
- DyslexicAtheist 6y ago
  all of the reports are pretty tame in comparison with what they could uncover in war zones that involve the US. Taking a swing at US LEA is hardly something to write home about. Until they give me scoops at an equal magnitude say something that shows US black sites still in operation, or another Abu Ghraib or something about Gitmo? Nobody really cares about US racist cops - that's stuff that is anyway covered by WaPo & NYT. Give me something of the same magnitude that got exposed by Manning, Snowden or Assange and I will be happy to believe that they are "neutral". But oh wait - they'd be in exile or dead. So my point stands.
  - strictnein 6y ago
    Nah. Not interested in playing your game. You stated X, I showed X was incorrect. Now you're moving the goalposts, which was fully expected. One of the strongest messages the US sends abroad is that the 1st amendment is sacrosanct. Highlighting law enforcement violently suppressing that is extremely damaging to America's reputation.
    - DyslexicAtheist 6y ago
      I'm not playing any game. the goal post is not to compare apples with oranges. if the position is that Bellingcat (which markets itself as a citizen journalist type of outfit) is independent as they claim then they should be measured as such. Nobody is moving any goalposts. Your assertion that they are independent but also are unable to highlight crimes committed by the US then they are simply not independent. FWIW I'm not highlighting any side being bad or good but that the claim of independence needs to be viewed in relation to their alliances.

nurgasemetey 6y ago

This. I stopped reading Bellingcat reports. I don't remember any huge Bellingcat report that is related with non-Russia.

ricktdotorg 6y ago
wait, so what is the inference here with Bellingcat? that they are funded by CIA / gov.ru? and that they tell mostly the truth, but willfully withhold certain things detrimental to their financial masters?
- DyslexicAtheist 6y ago
  no. what is insinuated is Bellingcat enjoy connections with GCHQ & MI6. Eliot Higgins is close to the British IC, gives talks at Atlantic Council and trades info with them. Bellingcat (despite the great work they do IMHO) certainly does not get Russian passport details simply by hacking or by asking some "corrupt" Russians working for the state for help. So you can probably trust most of what they say but not how they get their info or that they are simply a "hacktivist / citizen jorno" outfit (they'd be dead since long time if that would be all) At least until I've seen them uncover something as big as Skripal or the MH17 (within the FVEY) I wouldn't believe their claims of being "independent". Which will never happen because you don't bite the hand that feeds. Anyone playing in that league will not survive very long (quite literally) unless they get security benefits needed (which requires affiliation). There doesn't have to be a conspiracy. That protection comes at a cost of bias (it's not required when everyone around you and most importantly yourself believes you're part of the good guys).
  - iudqnolq 6y ago
    I too found the "corrupt officials" hard to believe, but there's a surprising amount of evidence for it. In general the Russian government has a surprisingly middling level of control over society compared to somewhere like China. Other Russian news orgs also buy personal data, try looking at Meduza for example.
goatsi 6y ago
Sounds like an issue with what is being surfaced in your social/news bubble. If you go to their site you can certainly find deep dives into many other areas: https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2021/04/01/mahbere-dego-clues-to-a-clifftop-massacre-in-ethiopia/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2021/04/01/mahbere-dego-clue... https://www.bellingcat.com/news/africa/2017/02/20/tracking-nigerian-armed-forces-coin-offensive-north-east-nigeria/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/africa/2017/02/20/tracking-n...

strictnein 6y ago

> imagine Bellingcat being vocal of anything that happens within FVEY Yes, imagine if they covered things in the US: https://www.bellingcat.com/tag/usa/ https://www.bellingcat.com/tag/usa/ Ex: "US Law Enforcement Are Deliberately Targeting Journalists During George Floyd Protests" https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2020/05/31/us-law-enforcement-are-deliberately-targeting-journalists-during-george-floyd-protests/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2020/05/31/us-law-e...

DyslexicAtheist 6y ago
all of the reports are pretty tame in comparison with what they could uncover in war zones that involve the US. Taking a swing at US LEA is hardly something to write home about. Until they give me scoops at an equal magnitude say something that shows US black sites still in operation, or another Abu Ghraib or something about Gitmo? Nobody really cares about US racist cops - that's stuff that is anyway covered by WaPo & NYT. Give me something of the same magnitude that got exposed by Manning, Snowden or Assange and I will be happy to believe that they are "neutral". But oh wait - they'd be in exile or dead. So my point stands.
- strictnein 6y ago
  Nah. Not interested in playing your game. You stated X, I showed X was incorrect. Now you're moving the goalposts, which was fully expected. One of the strongest messages the US sends abroad is that the 1st amendment is sacrosanct. Highlighting law enforcement violently suppressing that is extremely damaging to America's reputation.
  - DyslexicAtheist 6y ago
    I'm not playing any game. the goal post is not to compare apples with oranges. if the position is that Bellingcat (which markets itself as a citizen journalist type of outfit) is independent as they claim then they should be measured as such. Nobody is moving any goalposts. Your assertion that they are independent but also are unable to highlight crimes committed by the US then they are simply not independent. FWIW I'm not highlighting any side being bad or good but that the claim of independence needs to be viewed in relation to their alliances.