There's a new "fake news" website called TMZ-us.com. (Archive here.)
According to WHOIS records, it was registered September 20, 2018. The WHOIS page also says it's registered to "WhoisGuard Protected." Here is what the homepage looks like:
Some of the the stories on the fake TMZ site are legit. For example, their story about Childish Gambino's injury is copy-and-pasted from the real TMZ site. Other articles on the homepage are outright hoaxes, like this false claim that Hulk Hogan passed away:
(Also, the greatest wrestler of all time is Bret Hart, so that tells you right away the story is sketchy.)
My suspicion is that TMZ-us.com is related to us-NBCNews.com. That latter site was recently documented by LeadStories. The site us-NBCNews.com was also registered on September 20, 2018, and it's also registered to "WhoisGuard Protected."
Friday, September 28, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Another "USAReally" spammer on Reddit: /u/dukethelord
There was a viral Reddit post last week that described how some accounts were spamming "USAReally.com" links in /r/The_Donald.
The author, /u/DivestTrump, included an archived snapshot of who had posted links to USAReally.com. The snapshot showed five results, and I realized one of the accounts, /u/dukethelord, was probably a spammer.
So, here is more of dukethelord's posting history:
Links to USAReally.com:
https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/9e2t97/be_a_real_american_get_vaccinated_and_forget/
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/9exvfm/two_inmates_wounded_due_to_negligence_in_nebraska/
https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/comments/9exyqc/miss_america_2019_how_can_we_measure_beauty_in/
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/9ffymn/neocon_mistakes_geopolitics_for_professional/
https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/9fgkbz/a_cash_bonus_for_the_health_crisis/
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/9fh6jx/new_developments_in_dallas_shooting_arrest/
https://www.reddit.com/r/democrats/comments/9fii1t/how_bella_ciao_became_an_antitrump_ballad/
https://www.reddit.com/r/geopolitics/comments/9gsq6j/the_bad_romance_between_america_and_the_hague/
Links to Geotus.band:
https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/9hfcd2/bill_gates_warns_of_imminent_global_pandemic_again/
My impression is most of these links were spam-filtered. The only thread to get any upvotes was the one in /r/TwoXChromosomes. (So perhaps a moderator approved it manually, or it slipped through the spam filter.)
The author, /u/DivestTrump, included an archived snapshot of who had posted links to USAReally.com. The snapshot showed five results, and I realized one of the accounts, /u/dukethelord, was probably a spammer.
So, here is more of dukethelord's posting history:
Links to USAReally.com:
https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/9e2t97/be_a_real_american_get_vaccinated_and_forget/
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/9exvfm/two_inmates_wounded_due_to_negligence_in_nebraska/
https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/comments/9exyqc/miss_america_2019_how_can_we_measure_beauty_in/
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/9ffymn/neocon_mistakes_geopolitics_for_professional/
https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/9fgkbz/a_cash_bonus_for_the_health_crisis/
https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/9fh6jx/new_developments_in_dallas_shooting_arrest/
https://www.reddit.com/r/democrats/comments/9fii1t/how_bella_ciao_became_an_antitrump_ballad/
https://www.reddit.com/r/geopolitics/comments/9gsq6j/the_bad_romance_between_america_and_the_hague/
Links to Geotus.band:
https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/9hfcd2/bill_gates_warns_of_imminent_global_pandemic_again/
My impression is most of these links were spam-filtered. The only thread to get any upvotes was the one in /r/TwoXChromosomes. (So perhaps a moderator approved it manually, or it slipped through the spam filter.)
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Suspected Russian Reddit accounts, in chronological order
I took the information from here: https://www.reddit.com/wiki/suspiciousaccounts. I tried to keep my mistakes to a minimum, but there may still be some minor errors.
That being said, the main purpose of this exercise was to highlight any patterns or outliers. (All accounts listed after the jump.)
That being said, the main purpose of this exercise was to highlight any patterns or outliers. (All accounts listed after the jump.)
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Brinkwire.com
Come on, Brinkwire.com, who are you trying to fool?
Your article from September 13, 2018, is titled: "Don’t buy the iPhone XS or XR until you’ve checked out these 3 deals"
A BGR article from September 13, 2018, is titled: "Don’t buy the iPhone XS or XR until you’ve checked out these 3 deals"
Your opening:
(For reference, the AdSense ID is ca-pub-7472567035539715)
Your article from September 13, 2018, is titled: "Don’t buy the iPhone XS or XR until you’ve checked out these 3 deals"
A BGR article from September 13, 2018, is titled: "Don’t buy the iPhone XS or XR until you’ve checked out these 3 deals"
Your opening:
The new iPhones are almost here, and come Friday, you’ll be able to preorder two of them, including the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The iPhone XR, the handset most people will want to buy this year, will be about a month late to the party. But, before you decide anywhere from $749 to $1,449 for one of the three new iPhones, you should be aware of the following three deals.The opening from BGR.com:
The new iPhones are almost here, and come Friday, you’ll be able to preorder two of them, including the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The iPhone XR, the handset most people will want to buy this year, will be about a month late to the party. But, before you decide anywhere from $749 to $1,449 for one of the three new iPhones, you should be aware of the following three deals.You're using somebody else's content, and your site has AdSense ads? That's just sketchy.
(For reference, the AdSense ID is ca-pub-7472567035539715)
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Some Patreon numbers
As of early morning, September 12th.
I wonder how these numbers will change over time.
Chapo Trap House
23,464 patrons ($104,768 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse
Philip DeFranco
13,987 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/DeFranco
Dr Jordan B Peterson
9,545 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/jordanbpeterson
The Rubin Report
4,679 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/rubinreport
Dick Masterson
3,882 patrons ($22,297 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/thedickshow
Sargon of Akkad
3,576 patrons ($12,136 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/sargon
Quillette
3,028 patrons ($17,418 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/Quillette
Shaun
1,885 patrons ($4,065 per video)
https://www.patreon.com/shaun_jen
Timcast
1,642 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/timcast
Styxhexenhammer666
1,235 patrons ($4,265 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/Styxhexenhammer666
Bret Weinstein
1,143 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/bretweinstein
Scott Adams
863 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/scottadamssays
Candace Owens
782 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/candaceowens
Zoƫ Quinn
685 patrons ($1,847 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/zoe
Laurie Penny
619 patrons ($3,811 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/lauriepenny
Roaming Millennial
475 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/roamingmillennial
Dead Pundits Society
410 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/Deadpundits
The Katie Halper Show
378 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/thekatiehalpershow
Hard Bastard
193 patrons ($613 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/HardBastard
Laura Loomer
103 patrons ($742 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/lauraloomer
The International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund
92 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/intlantifadefence
Independent Man
81 patrons ($193 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/IndependentMan
Raging Golden Eagle
59 patrons ($453 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/RGE
Buttered Side Down
56 patrons ($332 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/ButteredSideDown
Men Are Good
41 patrons ($175 per video)
https://www.patreon.com/menaregood
Maddox
40 patrons ($160 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/realmaddox
Douglas Ernst
34 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/douglasernst
Allie Stuckey
18 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/alliestuckey/overview
Gaming Wildlife
6 patrons ($14 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/gamingwildlife
Rebel Grey
5 patrons ($5 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/rebelgreyswd
Rebel News
3 patrons ($10 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/rebelnews
I wonder how these numbers will change over time.
Chapo Trap House
23,464 patrons ($104,768 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse
Philip DeFranco
13,987 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/DeFranco
Dr Jordan B Peterson
9,545 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/jordanbpeterson
The Rubin Report
4,679 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/rubinreport
Dick Masterson
3,882 patrons ($22,297 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/thedickshow
Sargon of Akkad
3,576 patrons ($12,136 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/sargon
Quillette
3,028 patrons ($17,418 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/Quillette
Shaun
1,885 patrons ($4,065 per video)
https://www.patreon.com/shaun_jen
Timcast
1,642 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/timcast
Styxhexenhammer666
1,235 patrons ($4,265 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/Styxhexenhammer666
Bret Weinstein
1,143 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/bretweinstein
Scott Adams
863 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/scottadamssays
Candace Owens
782 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/candaceowens
Zoƫ Quinn
685 patrons ($1,847 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/zoe
Laurie Penny
619 patrons ($3,811 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/lauriepenny
Roaming Millennial
475 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/roamingmillennial
Dead Pundits Society
410 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/Deadpundits
The Katie Halper Show
378 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/thekatiehalpershow
Hard Bastard
193 patrons ($613 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/HardBastard
Laura Loomer
103 patrons ($742 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/lauraloomer
The International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund
92 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/intlantifadefence
Independent Man
81 patrons ($193 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/IndependentMan
Raging Golden Eagle
59 patrons ($453 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/RGE
Buttered Side Down
56 patrons ($332 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/ButteredSideDown
Men Are Good
41 patrons ($175 per video)
https://www.patreon.com/menaregood
Maddox
40 patrons ($160 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/realmaddox
Douglas Ernst
34 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/douglasernst
Allie Stuckey
18 patrons
https://www.patreon.com/alliestuckey/overview
Gaming Wildlife
6 patrons ($14 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/gamingwildlife
Rebel Grey
5 patrons ($5 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/rebelgreyswd
Rebel News
3 patrons ($10 per month)
https://www.patreon.com/rebelnews
Monday, September 3, 2018
Hail Britannica
I was watching a Silicon Valley clip on YouTube, and noticed there was a link to Encyclopedia Britannica beneath the video:
The title of the clip is "Billionaire Holocaust," and if you follow the Britannica link, you're taken to the entry about the Holocaust. I remember hearing that YouTube planned to insert Wikipedia links beneath videos dealing with controversial topics. In my opinion, it's much wiser to go with a non-mutable source like the Encyclopedia Britannica.
The title of the clip is "Billionaire Holocaust," and if you follow the Britannica link, you're taken to the entry about the Holocaust. I remember hearing that YouTube planned to insert Wikipedia links beneath videos dealing with controversial topics. In my opinion, it's much wiser to go with a non-mutable source like the Encyclopedia Britannica.