top of page
C2_2018-05-23_12154388_photo_by_Allen_Mc
I deliver a range of talks and workshops about fake news, our chaotic media environment, and digital investigative and OSINT techniques. 

My talks combine examples from my reporting, illuminating research and case studies from elsewhere, and roughly a decade of experience and knowledge about the topic. I love engaging with audiences of all types, and speak regularly to journalists, executives, marketing and communications professionals, students, educators, librarians, and others.

My hands on workshops range from one hour to multiple days and cover a range of digital investigative and OSINT techniques. I also provide basic workshops intended for general audiences and students.

I tailor my presentations and workshops to the audience and always offer concrete advice and steps they can apply in their own work and life.
 
Contact me to learn more.

Fake News, Real Consequences

This is a talk I've been doing for close to a decade. I typically do it at lengths ranging from 30 to 45 mins (but can adapt as needed). This is a look into the world of online mis/disinformation: who the actors are, the types of misinformation people encounter, what I've learned from investigating it for several years — and what every citizen needs to know about how to navigate this world. I don't read text from slides; I do mini case studies, share anecdotes from my reporting, and back it up with data.

The Golden Age of Media Manipulation

Every digital product or service can be gamed or exploited, and this is especially true of today’s digital services. Whether it’s Russian trolls trying to create division in a democracy, marketers scheming to get the best Amazon reviews for their product, or criminals using a self-publishing platform to launder money, our media environment is more open to manipulation than ever before. This talk exposes the secrets of how it’s being done online. It works well with any audience, but in particular I can explain for marketers, executives, technologists etc. what this means for the work they do and how they need to adapt and protect their business and themselves. 

Investigating The Internet

This is a talk I've given primarily for audiences of journalists or people interested in journalism and open source investigations. It's a look at how I and others are investigating ad fraud, misinformation, censorship, and major platforms like Facebook. 

Workshop: Investigating Websites & Ads

This is a roughly one hour workshop I gave at the International Journalism. It offered a quick overview of the tools and techniques used to investigate a website, and to determine how it makes money from digital ads.​
I offer in-person and virtual workshops that cover a range of digirtal investigative and OSINT tools and techniques, including:
 
  • Search, monitoring and archiving to uncover and capture relevant content
  • Social media account and platform research strategies to analyze profiles, channels, pages and more
  • Digital backgrounding of people and companies to capture their digital footprint and uncover hidden information
  • Investigating and verifying images and video to determine accuracy, origins and other details
  • Analyzing websites to determine ownership and uncover hidden connections
  • Investigating digital ads to follow the money, track political and social communications, and reveal connections
  • Using network analysis and digital attribution techniques to connect accounts, websites and other assets together, and to reveal the people and entities behind online activity
  • Using AI to assist with research, analysis and reporting
  • New and updated tools for digital investigations

Selected Groups And Events I've Spoken To

  • AAA of North America
  • World 50
  • Columbia Journalism School
  • The University of Chicago Institute of Politics
  • Wellesley College
  • Toronto Metropolitan University
  • Online News Association
  • Global Editors Network 
  • C2
  • True North
  • The Communications Network
  • Manitoba Libraries Conference
  • International Journalism Festival
  • RightsCon
  • Knight Media Forum
  • Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 

Selected Organizations I've Delivered Workshops For

  • Investigative Reporters and Editors
  • Global Investigative Journalism Network
  • International Fact Checking Network
  • Taiwan Fact Check
  • Jagran New Media
  • International Center for Journalists
  • Media Institute of the Caribbean
  • Canadian Broadcast Corporation
  • Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
bottom of page