Daily Beast Says Facebook Helped Them Dox Trump Supporter

The Daily Beast recently doxed a black forklift driver and reported Trump supporter for the alleged high crime of creating a parody video of Democrat speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi. But there’s more to the story — it appears Facebook may have helped the left-wing journalists identify him.

The Daily Beast identified the video creator as Shawn Brooks, whom they described as a forklift driver and Trump supporter from the Bronx.

A Twitter account claiming to be Brooks disputed key details of the story, claiming he is not a Trump supporter, did not create the parody video, and does not live in the Bronx.

By doxing Brooks, The Daily Beast followed the example of CNN, which threatened to unmask an anonymous Trump supporter over a parody video, forcing to him apologize in exchange for not revealing his identity. The scandal caused “CNNBlackmail” to trend on Twitter.

But there’s another aspect to the Daily Beast story which has major implications for the privacy of Facebook users — according to the Daily Beast reporter himself, Facebook gave him information on Brooks’ activity on the platform.

GOP Senator Does Deep Dive on Trump Assassination Attempt and Remains Troubled by ‘Unresolved’ Questions

DHS unloads on anti-ICE Dems after man arrested with manifesto, ‘disturbing’ alleged plot to kill agents

Grand Jury Delivers Decision on Indictments for Democrats Known as the ‘Seditious Six’

Hispanic conservatives accuse House GOP hopeful of defrauding donors and activists

McConnell released from hospital after health scare, to work from home as key DHS vote looms

Democrats rip Bondi over handling of Epstein case in rowdy House hearing

Bondi has tense exchanges with lawmakers in first House hearing since confirmation

Exclusive: FBI captures longtime fugitive in Honduras in connection with 2000 killing of Philadelphia girl

Retail records could unmask potential subject in Nancy Guthrie case as experts reveal ‘clothing is evidence’

Trump Religious Liberty Commission boots member after contentious antisemitism hearing

Hardline conservatives double down to save the SAVE Act

Trump Keeps Winning: President Takes Victory Lap After Latest Job Numbers Shatter Expectations

Indicted Dem Rep. LaMonica McIver Suggests Acting ICE Director Is Doomed to Hell as Hearing Spirals Out of Control

ICE director refuses to resign under pressure from Eric Swalwell not to ‘side with killers’

Tillis rips ‘political lawfare’ and praises grand jury after Dems avoid charges in ‘illegal orders’ case

Via the Daily Beast:

It’s conceivable that someone else actually edited the clip. But a Facebook official, confirming a Daily Beast investigation, said the video was first posted on Politics WatchDog directly from Brooks’ personal Facebook account. [emphasis ours]

If the Daily Beast’s description of Facebook’s actions is accurate, Facebook compromised the privacy of one of its users, handing over information on his activity to a journalist who was clearly engaged in a politically motivated hatchet-job.

Facebook has been rocked by repeated privacy scandals over the past two years, including giving major corporations access to user data without permission. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently unveiled a re-branding effort emphasizing the company’s commitment to protecting the privacy of its users.

“I believe that the future is private,” Zuckerberg said at a recent Facebook conference.

Even left-wing feminist Caroline Orr, who described the Pelosi parody as “disgusting” (it’s simply a video of Pelosi slowed down to make her words appear slurred), expressed shock at the idea of Facebook handing over private information about its users.