Ryan Reilly, Justice reporter at NBC News, and author of Sedition Hunters: How January 6th Broke the Justice System, discusses the role of online sleuths in identifying Capitol riot suspects. He also explores the challenges faced by investigators and the frustrations with the FBI's bureaucratic issues. The podcast concludes by assessing the success of the sedition hunters and their future actions.
Online sleuths, known as Sedition Hunters, have played a crucial role in identifying Capitol riot suspects and highlighting the FBI's challenges in keeping up with technological advancements.
The FBI's bureaucracy, lack of technological resources, and difficulty in attracting technologically skilled individuals have hampered the investigation into the Capitol riot, emphasizing the need for the agency to adapt and modernize their investigative methods.
Deep dives
The FBI continues to arrest Capitol rioters two years later
The FBI is still arresting rioters from the January 6th Capitol riot, some of whom have been known to them for months. Online sleuths, also known as Sedition Hunters, have played a crucial role in identifying suspects and providing information to aid the federal investigation. Despite the FBI's efforts, they have only arrested a third of the potential individuals who could be charged. These sleuths have formed a community and collaborate on encrypted platforms, making positive identifications by using facial recognition and scouring hours of archived footage. Their involvement highlights the FBI's challenges in keeping up with technological advancements.
The FBI's bureaucratic hurdles hinder progress in the investigation
The FBI's bureaucracy and lack of technological resources have slowed down the investigation into the Capitol riot. The agency's stringent rules on discussing ongoing investigations and their limited ability to track online activity have impeded progress. Additionally, the FBI's difficulty in attracting technologically skilled individuals to their ranks further complicates the issue. In contrast, the online sleuths have been able to collaborate freely, quickly identify suspects, and provide valuable leads. This discrepancy in efficiency underscores the need for the FBI to adapt and modernize their investigative methods.
The impact and future of online sleuthing in criminal investigations
Online sleuthing, demonstrated through the Sedition Hunters' efforts, has proven to be an effective tool in criminal investigations. These individuals have gathered evidence, made positive identifications, and facilitated arrests that may not have occurred otherwise. Despite concerns and challenges, such as the potential for misidentifications or political persecution, the sleuths' contributions have been valuable. However, their full impact may remain unknown, as they operate anonymously and may hesitate to come forward publicly. The future of online sleuthing in criminal investigations could depend on the evolving threat environment and the willingness of these individuals to reveal their identities.
The FBI was overwhelmed trying to ID people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th. An online group picked up the slack and helped catch hundreds of rioters.
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