Posting Through It

Trapezoid of Discovery is the pseudonym used by an information security engineer who has cataloged and refuted claims from election deniers as they’ve toured around the country, drawing crowds and inspiring conspiracy-minded activism. We discuss what these traveling events have been like, why people should pay attention to what’s happening around them, and how they relate to the broader Republican activist base.Follow Trapezoid of Discovery: @get_innocuousThe NPR article mentioned in this episode: Election deniers have taken their fraud theories on tour — to nearly every state Read the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Emmi Conley is an extremism researcher who joins the show to talk about the far-right’s reaction to the FBI search at Mar-a-Lago, the revelation that the cringe @BasedMikeLee Twitter account does in fact belong to Sen. Mike Lee, Democrats’ encounters with “Dark Brandon” memes and more.Follow Emmi: @GamerGirlRights Read the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Kristen Doerer is the managing editor of Right Wing Watch, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to cataloguing the goings-on of the American far-right. (Jared used to work there, and Kristen was his boss!) Kristen joins the show this week to discuss recent January 6th Committee hearings that broached far-right extremists’ and the online communities’ roles in the Capitol riot. In the first half, Jared and Kristen talk about takeaways from the hearings so far. In the second part, they field the questions listeners sent on Substack and Twitter.Follow Kristen on Twitter: @k2doeYou’ll get one more newsletter. After that, the show goes offline for a few weeks while Jared treks around the world on his honeymoon. Paid subscribers should read the post about the related billing pause. The show will be back mid-August! Read the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Nick Backovic and Ernie Piper are writers at Logically who produce investigative journalism related to online disinformation and conspiracy theories. They join the podcast this week to discuss an investigation they published about a QAnon cryptocurrency scheme that scammed believers out of gobs of cash, including one who died by suicide after losing more than $100,000 in the racket. Jared and the Logically guys discuss the findings of that investigation and lessons the rest of us might glean from what transpired.Follow Nick on Twitter: @nickbackovicFollow Ernie on Twitter: @whoisernieRead their investigation: QAnon Crypto Trading Scheme Lost Investors Millions(https://www.logically.ai/articles/qanon-crypto-lose-followers-2-million)Theme music via DJ Danarchy: https://hearthis.at/danarchy/ Read the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Ali Breland is a reporter at Mother Jones who covers online disinformation. He joins the podcast this week to talk about two of his recent essays that confront the flaws and shortcomings of conversations around disinformation, extremism, violence and other harms. Ali discusses why terms like “echo chamber” don’t adequately capture the dynamic social media platforms play in shaping political ideology. Then we talk about the infinite cycle of doom that Americans face in public life. This episode isn’t a feel-good one but we hope you’ll agree that conversations like these are important to have—and especially so when they are unpleasant.Follow Ali on Twitter: @alibrelandRead Ali’s recent writing at Mother Jones:Who Exactly Is Trapped in an “Echo Chamber”?Mass Shootings and Our Never-ending DoomcycleAli’s favorite things online: hyper-niche meme accounts and Musical artist Bo Daddy HarrisTheme music via DJ Danarchy: https://hearthis.at/danarchy/ Read the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

India McKinney is the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s director of federal affairs. She joins the podcast this week to talk about privacy and data protection at a time when many anticipate the Supreme Court will roll back reproductive healthcare rights. In this episode, India and Jared talk about concerns that online data could be used by those wanting to punish people seeking abortions. Then, they share their takes on the letter Democrats in Congress sent to Google, concerned that Google’s location tracking practices could enable that threat. Later on, India and Jared go over what average people can do to limit the data collected on them. Also, what can lawmakers and regulators do to be better advocates for internet privacy in the US?Follow India on Twitter: @imck82This episode’s sponsor is Ghostery. Take charge of your privacy online: block ads, speed up page loads and stop trackers in their tracks. I have used this browser extension for years, so I can vouch for it personally. I consider this a no-brainer, especially because you can get it for free!Download it with this link: mygho.st/shitpostDisclaimer: This link does not track your activity. It only counts the number of installs. It’s 100% anonymous.Theme music via DJ Danarchy: https://hearthis.at/danarchy/Read the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Michael E. Hayden is a senior investigative reporter at the Southern Poverty Law Center and good friend of the podcast. Mike joins SH!TPOST this week to chat about all the stories the show missed while it was on break. In this episode, Mike and Jared discuss Elon Musk bidding for Twitter, the far-right laundering fascist aesthetics via “Ultra MAGA”, a right-wing YouTube star who was caught on tape spewing racist and antisemitic language, cryptocurrency markets taking a tumble, white nationalist movement figures clashing over cum stains, and Rep. Madison Cawthorn getting the brunt of a nasty political smear campaign.Follow Mike on Twitter: @MichaelEHaydenRead some of Mike’s recent reporting:Leaked Audio Underscores Dark Side of Far-Right YouTube SubcultureAnonymous Donor Drops $2 Million in Bitcoin on Alex JonesNew theme music courtesy of DJ Danarchy: https://hearthis.at/danarchy/Read the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Kelly Weill is a reporter at The Daily Beast. She recently published a book on Flat Earth conspiracy theory followers and what their beliefs can tell us about the ways people can arrive at absurdly false beliefs. She joins SH!TPOST to talk about her new book and its lessons for the rest of us.Follow Kelly on Twitter: @KELLYWEILLGet the book: “Off the Edge: Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe Anything” at Workman PublishingRead the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Sebastian Murdock is a senior reporter at HuffPost who has been covering lawsuits filed against notorious conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his media outlet Infowars. Jared and Sebastian recount some of the latest updates in those lawsuits and what we can gather from how things are progressing. (Spoiler: Not well for Alex!)Follow Sebastian on Twitter: @SebastianMurdocRead some of Sebastian’s reporting on lawsuits against Alex Jones and Infowars:Infowars Editor Cries During Deposition About Man He Misidentified As Parkland ShooterAlex Jones' Infowars Store Made $165 Million Over 3 Years, Records ShowAlex Jones Loses 3rd Sandy Hook LawsuitRead the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com

Justin Ling is a freelance investigative reporter covering misinformation, conspiracy theories, extremism, and national security. He joins SH!TPOST to talk about the recent rise of Russian “bio lab” disinformation among MAGA movement figures. Ling walks listeners through the origins of these claims, why they gained overnight popularity with pro-Trump opinion makers in the US, and how governments have pushed back on the theory. Follow Justin on Twitter: @Justin_LingRead Justin’s reporting on this topic in Foreign Policy:False Claims of U.S. Biowarfare Labs in Ukraine Grip QAnonHow U.S. Bioweapons in Ukraine Became Russia’s New Big LieRead the newsletter: postingthroughit.comSupport the showSubscribe to the Posting Through It newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit postthroughit.substack.com