Nathan Patin
@nathanpatin.bsky.social
digital investigator based in Colorado || former @Bellingcat member || former adjunct at Georgetown
Reposted by Nathan Patin
"We sent the footage to A.I. experts who confirmed the film was manipulated. The channel had taken the original footage - filmed in his Russian office six years earlier - and put fake audio on top, with his lips artificially altered to match the script."
russia-eu-cars.airwars.org
russia-eu-cars.airwars.org
Sanctions, Scams & Deepfakes - The digital hunt for the Russians smuggling EU cars
Are Russian Telegram channels smuggling cars despite EU sanctions, or is it all a Ukrainian scam?
russia-eu-cars.airwars.org
November 8, 2025 at 9:11 PM
"We sent the footage to A.I. experts who confirmed the film was manipulated. The channel had taken the original footage - filmed in his Russian office six years earlier - and put fake audio on top, with his lips artificially altered to match the script."
russia-eu-cars.airwars.org
russia-eu-cars.airwars.org
Canadian Premier League final looked like an absolute blast www.reddit.com/r/soccer/com...
From the soccer community on Reddit: Atlético Ottawa [1]-1 Cavalry FC - David Rodríguez great goal (Canadian Premier League Final)
Explore this post and more from the soccer community
www.reddit.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Canadian Premier League final looked like an absolute blast www.reddit.com/r/soccer/com...
Woof
GeoSpy AI attempted to do a geolocation in the occupied West Bank in Palestine. However, nothing beats the human eye, as @annonemo.bsky.social showed that the correct location was actually 19.6 km from what the AI and it’s founder claimed it was: 32.113212, 35.133272.
November 9, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Woof
Reposted by Nathan Patin
Bad news for human rights and national security, no matter how you spin it
NSO Group has a new executive chairman, David Friedman, who's a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and onetime bankruptcy lawyer for President Trump.
www.wsj.com/tech/israeli... via @WSJ
NSO Group has a new executive chairman, David Friedman, who's a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and onetime bankruptcy lawyer for President Trump.
www.wsj.com/tech/israeli... via @WSJ
Israeli Spyware Maker NSO Gets New Owners, Leadership and Seeks to Mend Reputation
Investors led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds have taken a controlling stake in the company behind Pegasus, and former Trump official David Friedman has been named executive chairman.
www.wsj.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Bad news for human rights and national security, no matter how you spin it
NSO Group has a new executive chairman, David Friedman, who's a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and onetime bankruptcy lawyer for President Trump.
www.wsj.com/tech/israeli... via @WSJ
NSO Group has a new executive chairman, David Friedman, who's a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and onetime bankruptcy lawyer for President Trump.
www.wsj.com/tech/israeli... via @WSJ
Reposted by Nathan Patin
2/ Most people know that Pegasus spyware has a mountain of abuse cases around the globe.
But for ~a decade, NSO has also profited from enabling foreign governments to hack American citizens phones.
And US officials.
But for ~a decade, NSO has also profited from enabling foreign governments to hack American citizens phones.
And US officials.
November 9, 2025 at 10:07 PM
2/ Most people know that Pegasus spyware has a mountain of abuse cases around the globe.
But for ~a decade, NSO has also profited from enabling foreign governments to hack American citizens phones.
And US officials.
But for ~a decade, NSO has also profited from enabling foreign governments to hack American citizens phones.
And US officials.
Reposted by Nathan Patin
UPDATE: NSO just hired former Trump ambassador to Israel.
They're trying to push Pegasus spyware to 🇺🇸America.
Your rights and freedoms are in danger.
NSO Group is no friend to the US & has spent years undermining our security & values 1/
They're trying to push Pegasus spyware to 🇺🇸America.
Your rights and freedoms are in danger.
NSO Group is no friend to the US & has spent years undermining our security & values 1/
November 9, 2025 at 10:05 PM
UPDATE: NSO just hired former Trump ambassador to Israel.
They're trying to push Pegasus spyware to 🇺🇸America.
Your rights and freedoms are in danger.
NSO Group is no friend to the US & has spent years undermining our security & values 1/
They're trying to push Pegasus spyware to 🇺🇸America.
Your rights and freedoms are in danger.
NSO Group is no friend to the US & has spent years undermining our security & values 1/
Reposted by Nathan Patin
it’s a tool & if you are surrendering judgement to it in any way - even for word choice or spelling - you are not taking the responsibility of working in news seriously enough.
Brief landscape of AI use in newsrooms by NYT
Seems the most misgivings relate to using it as a replacement for journos altogether
E.g. “At Bloomberg, an experiment with A.I. to generate news article summaries has resulted in dozens of corrections”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
Seems the most misgivings relate to using it as a replacement for journos altogether
E.g. “At Bloomberg, an experiment with A.I. to generate news article summaries has resulted in dozens of corrections”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
A.I. Sweeps Through Newsrooms, but Is It a Journalist or a Tool?
www.nytimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:50 PM
it’s a tool & if you are surrendering judgement to it in any way - even for word choice or spelling - you are not taking the responsibility of working in news seriously enough.
Brief landscape of AI use in newsrooms by NYT
Seems the most misgivings relate to using it as a replacement for journos altogether
E.g. “At Bloomberg, an experiment with A.I. to generate news article summaries has resulted in dozens of corrections”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
Seems the most misgivings relate to using it as a replacement for journos altogether
E.g. “At Bloomberg, an experiment with A.I. to generate news article summaries has resulted in dozens of corrections”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
A.I. Sweeps Through Newsrooms, but Is It a Journalist or a Tool?
www.nytimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Brief landscape of AI use in newsrooms by NYT
Seems the most misgivings relate to using it as a replacement for journos altogether
E.g. “At Bloomberg, an experiment with A.I. to generate news article summaries has resulted in dozens of corrections”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
Seems the most misgivings relate to using it as a replacement for journos altogether
E.g. “At Bloomberg, an experiment with A.I. to generate news article summaries has resulted in dozens of corrections”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
Looks like Tucows is most likely going to comply w/ the FBI subpoena -- it'll be interesting to see whether the Archive[.]is owner is using a proxy registrant/took some OPSEC steps w/ Tucows
tbh I'm a little surprised the archive[.]whatever paywall circumvention sites haven't received any attention before this www.404media.co/fbi-tries-to...
FBI Tries to Unmask Owner of Infamous Archive.is Site
The FBI has subpoenaed the domain registrar of archive.today, demanding information about the owner.
www.404media.co
November 9, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Looks like Tucows is most likely going to comply w/ the FBI subpoena -- it'll be interesting to see whether the Archive[.]is owner is using a proxy registrant/took some OPSEC steps w/ Tucows
Here’s one of the databases — 531 cases so far! www.damiencharlotin.com/hallucinatio...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
Vigilante Lawyers Expose the Rising Tide of A.I. Slop in Court Filings
www.nytimes.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Here’s one of the databases — 531 cases so far! www.damiencharlotin.com/hallucinatio...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/b...
Connecting through O’Hare, never seen so many folks running to their gate
November 8, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Connecting through O’Hare, never seen so many folks running to their gate
Reposted by Nathan Patin
The AP tracked down details of some of the people killed in President Trump's military strikes on drug smugglers he describes as narco-terrorists.
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
November 7, 2025 at 3:18 PM
The AP tracked down details of some of the people killed in President Trump's military strikes on drug smugglers he describes as narco-terrorists.
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
They were, with one exception, not high-level criminals. One was a fisherman. One was a bus driver; another a taxi driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Nathan Patin
“This case, ladies and gentleman of the jury, is about a sandwich.”
Closing arguments from the defense in the DC sandwich guy case are now underway.
Closing arguments from the defense in the DC sandwich guy case are now underway.
November 5, 2025 at 6:57 PM
“This case, ladies and gentleman of the jury, is about a sandwich.”
Closing arguments from the defense in the DC sandwich guy case are now underway.
Closing arguments from the defense in the DC sandwich guy case are now underway.
Reposted by Nathan Patin
A new Bellingcat investigation geolocates the site of a mass killing near Al Fashir, Darfur. More than eighty bodies were found beside destroyed vehicles along an earthen berm built around the city.
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/11...
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/11...
Geolocating Darfur Killings of Those Escaping Al Fashir - bellingcat
Warning: Contains written descriptions of extreme violence including murder. All graphic footage has been omitted. A Bellingcat investigation has identified and verified the exact location of a mass k...
www.bellingcat.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:54 PM
A new Bellingcat investigation geolocates the site of a mass killing near Al Fashir, Darfur. More than eighty bodies were found beside destroyed vehicles along an earthen berm built around the city.
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/11...
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/11...
Nature can be so brutal (and to think that these are the same guys doing the fun salmon hat fad)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/s...
In Mexico, Killer Whales Take Down Great White Sharks
www.nytimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Nature can be so brutal (and to think that these are the same guys doing the fun salmon hat fad)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/s...
Reposted by Nathan Patin
New from Bellingcat: “‘Pattern of Extreme Brutality’ — Tear gas, pepper balls among weapons used by federal agents at Illinois immigration protests.”
Read the full investigation:
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Read the full investigation:
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Tear Gas, Pepper Balls Among Weapons Deployed Against Illinois Protesters
A judge recently issued a restraining order on crowd-control tactics by federal agents in the state, including those involved in Operation Midway Blitz.
www.bellingcat.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
New from Bellingcat: “‘Pattern of Extreme Brutality’ — Tear gas, pepper balls among weapons used by federal agents at Illinois immigration protests.”
Read the full investigation:
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Read the full investigation:
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Nathan Patin
The CIA hacked and disrupted a computer network used by Venezuela’s security service in Trump’s 1st term, one of a series of covert actions US agencies took or considered taking as Trump increased pressure on Maduro: www.cnn.com/2025/10/29/p...
CIA cyberattacks targeting the Maduro regime didn’t satisfy Trump in his first term. Now the US is flexing its military might | CNN Politics
In the final year of President Donald Trump’s first administration, the CIA carried out a clandestine cyberattack against the Venezuelan government, disabling the computer network used by Venezuelan l...
www.cnn.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:48 PM
The CIA hacked and disrupted a computer network used by Venezuela’s security service in Trump’s 1st term, one of a series of covert actions US agencies took or considered taking as Trump increased pressure on Maduro: www.cnn.com/2025/10/29/p...
Reposted by Nathan Patin
NCGOP spokesman appears to be threatening @propublica.org's @dougbockclark.bsky.social with retaliation by the Trump administration for reporting on a state Supreme Court justice www.propublica.org/article/paul...
October 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM
NCGOP spokesman appears to be threatening @propublica.org's @dougbockclark.bsky.social with retaliation by the Trump administration for reporting on a state Supreme Court justice www.propublica.org/article/paul...
Tim Robinson w/ the v honest portrayal of online investigations in the most recent episode of The Chair Company
October 30, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Tim Robinson w/ the v honest portrayal of online investigations in the most recent episode of The Chair Company
Reposted by Nathan Patin
DHS says our new piece is "dishonest, slanted, and fundamentally inaccurate" but won't say why. Here's the story where we show with evidence that DHS spliced together clips spanning years and multiple locations to create its own reality. Gift link wapo.st/4nuDGwf
October 30, 2025 at 3:26 AM
DHS says our new piece is "dishonest, slanted, and fundamentally inaccurate" but won't say why. Here's the story where we show with evidence that DHS spliced together clips spanning years and multiple locations to create its own reality. Gift link wapo.st/4nuDGwf
Reposted by Nathan Patin
This is an especially worrying statement when facial recognition can be inaccurate, biased, and generally make mistakes. Basing whether someone should be in the US or not, and ignoring physical media like a birth certificate, is ripe for disaster bsky.app/profile/jose...
New incredible detail here: ICE says a match in its facial recognition app Mobile Fortify is a "definitive" determination of a person's status, and that this overrides birth certificates. This is an app ICE is using in the field to scan people
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
October 29, 2025 at 4:18 PM
This is an especially worrying statement when facial recognition can be inaccurate, biased, and generally make mistakes. Basing whether someone should be in the US or not, and ignoring physical media like a birth certificate, is ripe for disaster bsky.app/profile/jose...
Reposted by Nathan Patin
We first revealed Mobile Fortify in June. It takes the CBP system usually used when people enter or exit the US, and puts it into an app to be used on American streets www.404media.co/ice-is-using...
ICE Is Using a New Facial Recognition App to Identify People, Leaked Emails Show
The new tool, called Mobile Fortify, uses the CBP system which ordinarily takes photos of people when they enter or exit the U.S., according to internal ICE emails viewed by 404 Media. Now ICE is usin...
www.404media.co
October 29, 2025 at 3:12 PM
We first revealed Mobile Fortify in June. It takes the CBP system usually used when people enter or exit the US, and puts it into an app to be used on American streets www.404media.co/ice-is-using...
Reposted by Nathan Patin
New incredible detail here: ICE says a match in its facial recognition app Mobile Fortify is a "definitive" determination of a person's status, and that this overrides birth certificates. This is an app ICE is using in the field to scan people
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
October 29, 2025 at 3:03 PM
New incredible detail here: ICE says a match in its facial recognition app Mobile Fortify is a "definitive" determination of a person's status, and that this overrides birth certificates. This is an app ICE is using in the field to scan people
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
Reposted by Nathan Patin
So this story is super duper interesting for a whole ton of reasons, but one big one is its a very rare glimpse into the private valuation of high-end exploits held by major defense contractors
bsky.app/profile/lega...
bsky.app/profile/lega...
Peter Williams, A former executive with US defense contractor L3Harris has pleaded guilty to selling digital spy tools to a Russian broker, the Justice Department announced. Williams pleaded to two counts of theft of trade secrets reut.rs/49o7Q0I
October 29, 2025 at 11:45 PM
So this story is super duper interesting for a whole ton of reasons, but one big one is its a very rare glimpse into the private valuation of high-end exploits held by major defense contractors
bsky.app/profile/lega...
bsky.app/profile/lega...