# Indicator

> Reader-funded investigative journalism on digital deception, OSINT, and platform accountability, for journalists, researchers, and practitioners.

## About

- [About Indicator](https://indicator.media/about): Craig Silverman and Alexios Mantzarlis's reader-funded publication investigating digital deception and platform accountability. Founded 2025, based in Toronto.
- [Craig Silverman](https://indicator.media/authors/craig-silverman): George Polk Award-winning journalist with 15+ years investigating disinformation; formerly ProPublica national reporter and BuzzFeed News media editor.
- [Alexios Mantzarlis](https://indicator.media/authors/alexios-mantzarlis): Director of Security, Trust and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech; founding director of the International Fact-Checking Network; former Google Trust & Safety.
- [All Authors](https://indicator.media/authors): Full contributor list including Jane Lytvynenko and other investigators.
- [Subscribe](https://indicator.media/subscribe): Free weekly briefing or paid membership with full access to investigations, guides, and tools.

## Reporting & Investigations

- [Reporting & Investigations](https://indicator.media/reporting-and-investigations): Original investigations into digital deception, scams, influence operations, and platform failures.
- [AI-Generated Deception](https://indicator.media/t/ai-generated-content): Investigations into AI slop, deepfakes, fake AI doctors, synthetic non-consensual intimate imagery, and AI-generated scam networks.
- [Platform Accountability](https://indicator.media/t/platforms): Holding Meta, Google, TikTok, X/Twitter, and YouTube accountable for hosting harmful, fraudulent, or deceptive content.
- [Scams & Fraud](https://indicator.media/t/scams): Elder fraud, romance scams, affiliate fraud, ad fraud, and e-commerce deception.
- [Influence Operations](https://indicator.media/t/influence-operations): Coordinated inauthentic behavior, foreign interference campaigns, and synthetic social media manipulation.
- [OSINT](https://indicator.media/t/osint): Open-source intelligence techniques, tools, and case studies for digital investigators.
- [Intelligence](https://indicator.media/intelligence): In-depth analysis on emerging digital threats and disinformation trends.
- [Briefings](https://indicator.media/briefings): Free weekly curated briefings on disinformation, OSINT, and platform accountability.
- [Full Archive](https://indicator.media/archive): All 440+ published investigations, briefings, and guides.

## Guides & Education

- [Guides](https://indicator.media/guides): Step-by-step investigation guides covering social media forensics, AI content detection, beneficial ownership research, and e-commerce fraud.
- [Tools and Tips](https://indicator.media/tools-and-tips): Practical tutorials on investigation tools and techniques for digital journalists and researchers.
- [Workshops](https://indicator.media/workshops): Free online workshops on OSINT and digital investigation methods.

## Tools & Resources

- [OSINT Navigator](https://indicator.media/t/osint): Searchable database of 7,500+ open-source investigation tools organized by category and use case for journalists and researchers.
- [Academic Library](https://indicator.media/academic-library): Curated peer-reviewed research on AI-generated deceptive content, fact-checking interventions, misinformation prevalence, and synthetic intimate imagery.
- [AI Community Notes Tracker](https://indicator.media/ai-community-notes-tracker): Real-time tracking of AI-generated labels in X's Community Notes system.
- [Recommendations](https://indicator.media/recommendations): Curated tools, services, and resources vetted by Indicator's investigators.

## Key Facts

- Founded: 2025
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Model: Reader-funded (free + paid membership tiers)
- Subscribers: 12,000+ free readers
- Awards:  Best in Countering Disinformation the Digital Media Awards,  2026 CJF Hinton Award for Excellence in AI Safety Reporting, nominated for general excellence in digital publishing at the Canadian Digital Publishing Awards.
- Cited by: New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, Wired, CNBC, NBC News, The Economist, Nieman Lab, Poynter
- Investigations have contributed to removal of 25,000+ abusive ads and exposure of networks with 1.8M+ fake TikTok followers

## Contact

- Tips & documents: tips@indicator.media
- Subscriptions & access: support@indicator.media