Social Media Sleuthing

Tip Sheet

The Social Media Sleuthing tip sheet includes a Timeline & Source List spreadsheet template, an Investigative Checklist and suggested Source List. It also provides a robust list of social media platforms that can be useful in background reporting, along with a tutorial on how to use MuckRock's KlaxonCloud to track website changes.

Make sure to watch the recording of this workshop session here.

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Timeline & Source List Template

Advanced Internet Search Guide

Useful Sources

Always search the Internet and proprietary databases in addition to the sources listed below. Below is a non-exhaustive list of social media sites.

Socials

• LinkedIn

• Twitter

• Instagram 

• Facebook

• Strava 

• Reddit 

• Snapchat 

Alt Socials

• Gab

• NEXUS Mountain Network

• MeWe

• GETTR

• TRUTH Social

• Parler

Forums & Blogging

• Patriots.win

• Kiwi Farms

• Tumblr

• Substack

• Medium

Fundraising & Financials

• Donorbox

• Fundly

• Donately

• GoGetFunding

• FundRazr

• PayPal

• GoFundMe

• GoFraudMe

• Venmo

• GiveSendGo

Imageboards & Videos

• 8chan (8kun)

• 4chan 

• YouTube

• Rumble

Messaging

• Signal

• Keybase

• Element

• Wire

• Discord

• Rocket.Chat

• Telegram

• WhatsApp

Software Providers

• Epik

• Mastodon

Searching Socials & Websites

• Politwoops

• Archive.Is

• Wayback Machine

• ViewDNS.info 

• whoxy.com

• Advanced Google Searches

• Google Advanced Video Search

• Google Scholar

• Google Fact Checking

• Google Dataset Search

• Data Commons (from Google)

• Valital (paid)

• Ferretly (paid)

Reverse Image Searching

• PimEyes

• TinEye

• Google Image Search

• Google Fact Checking

• Bing Image Search

• Bing Visual Search

• Yahoo Image Search

• Pinterest Visual Search Tool

• Getty Images reverse image lookup

• Yandex

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Tracking Websites

Klaxon

• Klaxon explainer from MuckRock

• How to use Klaxon: Video

DocumentCloud

• Getting started with DocumentCloud (YouTube Tutorial)

• Getting the most out of DocumentCloud (Zoom orientation)

• Transcribing Public Meetings with DocumentCloud's Transcribe Audio Add-On (YouTube tutorial)

YouTube

• Description of how to use the script - Tool for downloading transcripts from youtube videos. See link for installation and use instructions.

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Investigative Checklist

• Does the candidate have any social media profiles?

• Is there any inappropriate content in them, perhaps old content that the candidate has forgotten to delete?

• Has the candidate engaged with (liked, favorited, reposted, etc) any inappropriate content?

• Does the candidate interact with lobbyists or campaign donors on social media?

• Is the lifestyle portrayed in the candidate’s social media consistent with the candidate’s income and wealth?

• Who is the candidate often photographed with?

• Are there photos of the candidate traveling with lobbyists or donors?

• Are there photos of the candidate participating in events sponsored by trade associations, companies, or advocacy groups?

• Has the candidate registered any Internet domains?

• Are there archives of any past websites maintained by the candidate?

• What does the candidate’s social media tell us about their hobbies?

• What can we learn about the kinds of voters who follow them?

• What claims are they making on social media about their personal, professional or political endeavors?

🚨 These Tip Sheets are incredible resources, best used in conjunction with their live, hands-on workshop session component. Watch the recording of this session here.

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Questions or comments about Sunlight's workshops and resources? Contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@sunlightsearch.net