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FACT Aotearoa

@factaotearoa.bsky.social
1.2K followers 36 following 318 posts

Fight Against Conspiracy Theories

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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Zooey Neumann @zoomoo.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
Important to keep an eye on - who can we identify in Auckland?
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
In this year's local government elections, all kinds of people are running. But some of them aren't necessarily who they seem. Charlie Mitchell sets out how the "freedom movement" - riddled with conspiracy theory - is organising, on the down-low: www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3607... 1/
thepress.co.nz
The quiet campaign: Inside the freedom movement’s bid for council influence
Voices for Freedom and like-minded groups are campaigning for council seats, changing their rhetoric from the pandemic to potholes.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
In this year's local government elections, all kinds of people are running. But some of them aren't necessarily who they seem. Charlie Mitchell sets out how the "freedom movement" - riddled with conspiracy theory - is organising, on the down-low: www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3607... 1/
thepress.co.nz
The quiet campaign: Inside the freedom movement’s bid for council influence
Voices for Freedom and like-minded groups are campaigning for council seats, changing their rhetoric from the pandemic to potholes.
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Voices For Freedom have just emailed their members urging them to stand in local body elections. Although they do want members to stand in contested seats, this call for action is specifically to seek out uncontested seats. 1/
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Voices For Freedom have just emailed their members urging them to stand in local body elections. Although they do want members to stand in contested seats, this call for action is specifically to seek out uncontested seats. 1/
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa @sanjanah.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Studied VFF's handbook for the upcoming local govt election. Unaware of any mainstream political party that's done a comparable production to mobilise partisans. A far-right, white supremacist ideological signalling is written into handbook which weaponises democratic processes against democracy.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Hey, so you were looking for something to do over the long weekend - how about taking 15 minutes to bash out a quick submission to the Royal Commission. Submissions close on Sunday. haveyoursay.covid19lessons.royalcommission.nz/royal-commis...
haveyoursay.covid19lessons.royalcommission.nz
Make a Submission - Page 1 of 4 - Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 - Citizen Space
Find and participate in activities run by Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
www.feijoadispatch.nz/p/free-speec...
feijoadispatch.nz
Free Speech Union plans hostile takeover of InternetNZ
And it could just be one part of a wider strategy to shape the public conversation
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Donna ☕📚🌸 @ctpuzzlepieces.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
🧵If you want to support Internet NZ now would be the time. The framing of this as "censorship" is a reactionary emotive catchcry by oppositional parties. Bully from within tactics do not equate to civil discussion.... www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
rnz.co.nz
Censorship fears over revamp of InternetNZ's constitution
Opponents of a review of InternetNZ's constitution are planning a takeover, saying the not-for profit is setting itself up as internet judge and jury.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
This story is concerning 👀 www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3605...
stuff.co.nz
Covid Inquiry hit by top level resignations
What is going on at the Covid Inquiry? Executive director and two legal counsel quit.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
This story is concerning 👀 www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3605...
stuff.co.nz
Covid Inquiry hit by top level resignations
What is going on at the Covid Inquiry? Executive director and two legal counsel quit.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
The Royal Commission into COVID 19 Lessons Learned has opened submissions for their next phase. They say “we want to hear from you on how certain key Government decisions affected or changed your lives during the pandemic.” 🧵
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
David Hood @thoughtfulnz.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Just a reminder that with the commission asking for New Zealanders stories on the topic of "vaccine safety", I wrote the article in Newsroom for this exact day, pre-emptively debunking the claims that will be written by the fringe. newsroom.co.nz/2024/09/06/t...
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
You’re probably a pretty smart person. And you might look at conspiracy theorists’ more out-there ideas and think: “how does anyone ever fall for that?” 🧵
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Judy Martin @southernrata.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Excellent thread. I've had the furry litter box story recounted to me as fact!
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Stories are how we make sense of the world around us. Stories are what turns a bunch of names and events and numbers into something we can understand. Stories are a really important part of spreading conspiracy theories. 🧵
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
A few weeks ago, FACT Aotearoa was at DECULT, a conference which brought together experts on cults and high control organisations, including many former members of cults. FACT member Byron was there. Here's his report: factaotearoa.nz/a-report-fro...
factaotearoa.nz
A report from the DECULT conference | FACT Aotearoa
FACT member Byron reports from the DECULT conference, which brought together experts on cults and high control organisations, including many former members of cults.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 17/10/2024
Antivax group “New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out with Science” recent conference has got us thinking about how conspiracy theorists and antivax campaigners use (and abuse) “experts” to make their ideas seem more credible. So how does it work? 🧵
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 25/09/2024
This week an antivax group called “New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out With Science” is holding a conference to "challenge prevailing health narratives". So we've been thinking about how conspiracy theorists form groups to look more credible. How does it work? 🧵
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 10/09/2024
On Friday Newsroom published David Hood’s analysis of whether NZ had excess deaths from COVID vaccination. We think this is really important as the second phase of the COVID commission of enquiry gets closer. 🧵
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 05/09/2024
Heads up: we're on Tiktok and Instagram now! If you get a follow or see content from Insta @ factaotearoa or Tiktok @ fact.aotearoa, yes it's us. We're gearing up for some short form video coming soon...
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 14/08/2024
We know that conspiracy theory groups actively recruit members. But how does that work? It turns out it looks more like a sales process than you might think. As Reality Check Radio advises: slide someone from A to Z one pink pill at a time. 🧵
A screenshot of a Reality Check Radio tweet, saying "Slide someone from A-Z one pink pill at a time"
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 06/08/2024
Almost everyone knows someone who has been swept into social media algorithms, down a rabbit hole into conspiratorial beliefs. But have you ever wondered how conspiracy theory groups recruit people into those beliefs? 🧵
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 06/08/2024
Almost everyone knows someone who has been swept into social media algorithms, down a rabbit hole into conspiratorial beliefs. But have you ever wondered how conspiracy theory groups recruit people into those beliefs? 🧵
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 04/06/2024
Would you like to take a trip to the Mirror World? Voices For Freedom outlet Reality Check Radio are offering to take us there when they interview Michael Benz aka white supremacist “Frame Game” on Wednesday. 1/
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 04/06/2024
Would you like to take a trip to the Mirror World? Voices For Freedom outlet Reality Check Radio are offering to take us there when they interview Michael Benz aka white supremacist “Frame Game” on Wednesday. 1/
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 11/04/2024
FACT Aotearoa isn't surprised by the disappearance of the Voices For Freedom-backed radio station Reality Check Radio, sometimes referred to as “Rabbit Hole Radio”. In spite of their attempts to portray their audience as substantial, VFF now say “we need funding to continue”. 1/
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Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 21/03/2024
The Royal Commission into COVID19 lessons learned has called for submissions and they're due March 24th. Maybe you haven’t go around to it yet? 1/
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 21/03/2024
The Royal Commission into COVID19 lessons learned has called for submissions and they're due March 24th. Maybe you haven’t go around to it yet? 1/
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 12/03/2024
Voices For Freedom has just sent their members an URGENT ACTION email, telling them to submit on the COVID19 commission of inquiry’s terms of reference. Why? 1/
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 22/02/2024
FACT Aotearoa is calling on Government Ministers including the Deputy Prime Minister who have appeared on Reality Check Radio to boycott the platform. 1/8
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 13/02/2024
Out there in conspiracy theory land, some people are looking at a poorly calculated PDF of potential money paid to vaccine centres and claiming they are “mind-blowing” figures. They want you to think something underhand is going on.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 10/12/2023
MOAR Problems: the misinformation techniques 🧵 Dubbed the “Mother of All Revelations*”, the data leak from Barry Young did reveal something. The leak is not just a gross breach of ethics and privacy, and misleading statistical “analysis”. bsky.app/profile/fact... /1
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 07/12/2023
This week we saw Barry Young, a Te Whatu Ora database administrator, arrested and charged after allegedly taking confidential patient data and leaking it.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 05/10/2023
A FACT member had a look through the fun-house mirror at selectively-edited documentary River of Freedom. Are we watching the re-write of history? factaotearoa.nz/river-of-fre...
factaotearoa.nz
River of Freedom – Dispatches From the Mirror World | FACT Aotearoa
A FACT member reviews the mirror world of River of Freedom to see what has been airbrushed from the NZ Parliament Occupation. Read on.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 31/08/2023
This election is already bringing challenges for journalists in New Zealand. Our fringe parties are fired up and begging for attention. Many have supporters that are creating astroturf groups to try to draw more attention to their causes and their candidates.
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FACT Aotearoa @factaotearoa.bsky.social · 23/08/2023
FACT Aotearoa is concerned that groups associated with conspiracy theory beliefs are strategically infiltrating NZ’s mainstream political parties. “Entryism” is a strategy for small groups to achieve their aims by taking over larger groups from the inside. www.1news.co.nz/2023/08/23/a...
1news.co.nz
ACT candidate who compared vaccine mandates to concentration camps quits
ACT leader David Seymour said he found the comments "unacceptable".
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