In his weekly Deception Decoded segment on CTV News, Bellingcat's Director of Research and Training @giancarlofiorella.bsky.social explained our recent work investigating how Grok AI was being used to fabricate images related to the latest release of Epstein files. www.ctvnews.ca/video/decept...

A young, hot border patrol agent, a rabbi, and a monk walk into a bar. And just like this scenario, the people are made up. It seems impossible nowadays to go onto a platform like IG and not encounter AI-created influencers, from religious leaders to federal agents.

we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad

This is why journalism matters. People were using Grok to unredact victims' photos from the latest Epstein release. We reached out to X (they didn't respond), but then over the weekend, Grok stopped responding to those requests.

One day, these notes will be in a museum, like the ones we have on the Holocaust, and kids will ask their parents how the people let this happen.

No

Hawks!!!!!!!! 💚💙💚💙💚💙

Grok users prompted the AI chatbot to identify victims from redacted Epstein Files images. Of 31 requests reviewed, Grok generated images for 27, spanning 18 images and one video. X did not respond to requests for comment on Grok's behaviour by time of publication. www.youtube.com/shorts/dhD8O...

Yes. You read that correctly. Users on X are asking Grok to unblur and identify the victims in redacted images from the latest Epstein release. Check out our video below.

This is very similar to the AI videos my dad sends me thinking it's real. There's a huge market for AI women giving testimonies that appeal to men/what they want hear, even further reducing the chance they will question if it's even real.

There's a picture of DTJr holding a gun with the scope backwards, getting traction, but this is an edited image. It could be AI or good old-fashioned Photoshop/no-AI, but it a clearly edited picture. The original image is at least for 2021.

"X also denied any wrongdoing and said the raid "endangers free speech."" I'd be really interested to see what the cybercrime unit actually took from the X office. I feel like AI CSAM should be one of those things NOT protected by 'free speech'. www.bbc.com/news/article...

New research on Deepfake NCII: if I'm reading this correctly, legislation and site shutdowns are not enough to curb the behavior and demand for deepfaked pornography. It basically shifts those users to other spaces. h/t @tristanl.ee arxiv.org/abs/2602.02754

NEW: since last year, a pair of "highly trained" feds have been involved in an array of incidents attacking crowds with chemical weapons. We used public records and open source analysis to identify Edgar Vazquez and Michael Sveum, alongside some other members of their tactical team. Read more:

Major shout to @easybakeovensz.bsky.social for his latest investigation where he identifies at least 79 specific cases where US made munitions were used in strikes on Gaza, many of which caused death and destruction to resources like hospitals and schools.

Laying off 1/3 of the post isn't just budget cuts. That's an intentional and willful dismantling of one of the top journalism institutions in the US. Democracy dies at an empty desk.

I support independent newsrooms like @theonion.com

I deleted my previous post because I wanted to correct something. 802 individuals are in FSCs which are Family Staging Centers - it is actually unclear how many of the 802 are children, but I assume a good portion.

Checking out the Letterboxd reviews of "Melania" and they did not disappoint.

BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.

Don was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles.

New from 404 Media: here is the user guide for ELITE, the tool Palantir made for ICE. A map shows people on a map; ICE clicks them, brings up their dossier. ICE uses to find which neighborhoods to target. We obtained it, you can now read the document for yourself: www.404media.co/here-is-the-...

Our Digital Hate and Harms Team has just released a new microsite to document and share information about symbols used by hate groups from around the world. monitoring-glossary.bellingcat.com

A Minnesota woman observing ICE agents in her car was cornered on one-way streets. An agent approached, called her by name—citing facial recognition. Days later, her Global Entry and TSA privileges were revoked, with no explanation.

I'm still seeing influencers with large followings claim the new footage of Pretti is AI. The real threat of AI disinformation is when people no longer believe real content thinking it's AI, and that future is unfortunately here.

Alex Pretti's interaction with federal agents on a Minneapolis street was caught on camera by several bystanders. That video does not support some of the claims made by Trump administration officials about the fatal shooting.

I will never forget what the US government did to Japanese Americans. Photo from the LOC: www.loc.gov/pictures/ite...

@bellingcat.com performed additional analysis on the Pretti killing, specifically on the first shot. There has been speculation that the first shot was from Pretti's gun, in the hands of the agent in the grey jacket, but video footage shows that it was the black beanie agent who shot first.

Huh. That sounds familiar.

We've been so busy with ICE that I didn't get a chance to let y'all know I was on @404media.co 's podcast with @samleecole.bsky.social talking about my investigations on AI deepfake porn. This was a fun convo! This is what you would hear at my dinner table if you wanted to know about what I do.

Looking at our home page right now, I hope we are making it clear that @bellingcat.com does not just report on Russia.

Hey, this was not this morning. This was Saturday morning, same day that Alex Pretti was killed, about a block away.

Really timely (timeless?) guide by @easybakeovensz.bsky.social on identifying the less-lethal weapons that federal agents have been using across the US. I've seen a few people mistakenly say that hexachloroethane gas i being used in MN. Hopefully this guide will help w/correctly IDing in the future

I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com

Yes, DHS has used explosives on homes. Like this case in Huntington Park, where they blasted the door down, with children in the house (6 yr old and 1 yr old). Everyone in the house is a US citizen.

Thanks to @ashponders.bsky.social and @seamas.bsky.social for making me realize I'm severely underutilizing my position as a journalist.

Our government's atrocities are bringing together Bears fans and Packers fans.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, on January 24. DHS claims he died after an armed struggle, but videos of the incident appears to contradict that claim. Read our analysis here: www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/01...

Our analysis at @bellingcat.com on the killing of Alex Pretti breaks down the video evidence. He never reached for his gun. Agents sprayed/tackled him while his hands were up. He was disarmed before he was shot. The first shot came from an agent firing at him. www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/01...

In an ideal world, the general public shouldn't have to watch execution videos in slow-mo, at multiple angles, and scour the Internet for more evidence. We should be able to trust officials and journalists to do it, but we've had to become a society of war investigators.

Here’s another Bellingcat series on an agent using “less lethal” munitions.

Video analysis below of the gun DHS says belong to Pretti being removed from the situation before the firs shot is heard.

The gun that DHS says belongs to Pretti appears to be already in the hands of DHS before the first shot is heard.

I know this is not the point of this, but I almost missed the ripped hole in the crotch of his pants, being so distracted by a photographer having a weapon pointed at him

There is a video circulating of federal agents tackling protestors and taking phones away from bystanders shortly after the killing of Alex Pretti. There is a woman in a pink coat in this video, but it is NOT the same woman who filmed Pretti's killing. I've seen people claim it's the same person.

Boosting this again. Please, the image of the gun is not from 5 days ago.

Here is our synced video of three angles. We do have the 4th angle as well. We are continuing to analyze all the footage as it becomes available.

There are murders everywhere for those with the eyes to see