The threat of QAnon (with Ali Soufan)
Skullduggery
Michael Isikoff, Daniel Klaidman, Victoria Bassetti
4.0 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 20 April 2021
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Former FBI special agent, author, and counterterrorism expert Ali Soufan joins Michael Isikoff, Daniel Klaidman and Victoria Bassetti to talk about his organization’s shocking new report about the spread of the Q conspiracy. Soufan talks about the influence of foreign adversaries in the spread of disinformation, the role of the tech platforms and the algorithms that promote and fuel the conspiracy, and about what can be done to counter this dangerous movement, by taking what Soufan calls an “all-citizens” approach to the problem.
GUEST:
- Ali Soufan (@Ali_H_Soufan) former FBI special agent; CEO, Soufan Group; founder, Soufan Center
HOSTS:
- Michael Isikoff (@Isikoff), Chief Investigative Correspondent, Yahoo News
- Daniel Klaidman (@dklaidman), Editor in Chief, Yahoo News
- Victoria Bassetti (@VBass), fellow, Brennan Center for Justice (contributing co-host)
RESOURCES:
- “Quantifying The Q Conspiracy: A Data-Driven Approach to Understanding the Threat Posed by QAnon,” Soufan Center Special Report (Apr. 19, 2021)
- “Report: China, Russia fueling QAnon conspiracy theories” by Michael Isikoff, Yahoo News (Apr. 19, 2021)
- “In secret Facebook groups, America’s best warriors share racist jabs, lies about 2020, even QAnon theories” by Carol E. Lee, NBC News (Apr. 16, 2021)
- “Reps. Malinowski and Eshoo Reintroduce Bill to Hold Tech Platforms Accountable for Algorithmic Promotion of Extremism” (Mar. 24, 2021)
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| 0:00.0 | The supposed intelligence insider, who goes by the name of Q, hasn't actually dropped |
| 0:05.4 | any messages for months. |
| 0:07.8 | But even while there are new questions as to who he is and how he came to be, the QAnon |
| 0:12.3 | conspiracy theory that this likely imposter inspired, complete with nonsensical claims about |
| 0:17.9 | U.S. government officials who worship Satan and exploit young children and sex trafficking |
| 0:22.4 | rings, show no signs of going away. |
| 0:25.8 | In fact, a new report by the Sufans Center, a national security research firm, cites |
| 0:30.4 | polling showing between 20-23% of the American public actually buys into major elements of |
| 0:36.6 | the bizarre QAnon cult. |
| 0:39.0 | What's more, the report finds there's evidence that foreign actors, principally in China |
| 0:43.8 | and Russia, are increasingly spreading QAnon-related content online, thwarting Facebook's efforts |
| 0:50.4 | to take it down and fueling a movement that has become a national security threat. |
| 0:56.0 | We'll talk to former FBI counterterrorism expert Ali Sufan, the founder of the Sufans |
| 1:00.6 | Center, about his new report and what it pretends on this episode of Skull Duggery. |
| 1:06.6 | Hi, do solemnly swear. |
| 1:12.2 | That I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States. |
| 1:15.8 | And we'll do the best of my building. Reserve, protect and defend. |
| 1:20.8 | Constitution of the United States. |
| 1:22.8 | So help me God. |
| 1:24.2 | So help me God. |
| 1:25.2 | So help me God. |
| 1:26.2 | So help me God. |
... |
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