FACT Aotearoa
@factaotearoa.bsky.social
Fight Against Conspiracy Theories
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Important to keep an eye on - who can we identify in Auckland?
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/
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/
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.
www.thepress.co.nz
August 3, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Important to keep an eye on - who can we identify in Auckland?
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
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/
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/
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.
www.thepress.co.nz
August 3, 2025 at 9:16 AM
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/
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/
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/
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/
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.
www.thepress.co.nz
August 3, 2025 at 9:16 AM
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/
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/
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
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/
July 23, 2025 at 5:41 AM
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/
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/
July 23, 2025 at 5:41 AM
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/
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
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.
July 8, 2025 at 4:26 AM
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.
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/royal-commis...
April 24, 2025 at 6:09 AM
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/royal-commis...
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
🧵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...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
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.
www.rnz.co.nz
March 1, 2025 at 10:45 PM
🧵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...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
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.” 🧵
February 5, 2025 at 4:31 AM
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.” 🧵
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
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...
newsroom.co.nz/2024/09/06/t...
The NZ COVID-19 Inquiry has today opened an online portal to receive public submissions on specific topics: vaccine mandates, safety, and approvals; lockdowns, especially the lockdowns of 2021 and 2022, and testing, tracing, and public health materials - like RAT tests.
www.covid19inquiry.nz
www.covid19inquiry.nz
Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19
- Citizen Space
Find and participate in activities run by Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19
www.covid19inquiry.nz
February 3, 2025 at 1:31 AM
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...
newsroom.co.nz/2024/09/06/t...
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?” 🧵
January 29, 2025 at 4:37 AM
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?” 🧵
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
Excellent thread. I've had the furry litter box story recounted to me as fact!
In fact one way to understand conspiracy theories is to think of them as really compelling stories that give us an “aha!” feeling. Stories that convince us before the logical thinking part of our brain has a chance to get involved. 3/
November 28, 2024 at 7:44 PM
Excellent thread. I've had the furry litter box story recounted to me as fact!
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. 🧵
November 28, 2024 at 6:59 PM
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. 🧵
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...
FACT member Byron was there. Here's his report: factaotearoa.nz/a-report-fro...
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.
factaotearoa.nz
November 18, 2024 at 4:12 AM
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...
FACT member Byron was there. Here's his report: factaotearoa.nz/a-report-fro...
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? 🧵
So how does it work? 🧵
October 17, 2024 at 4:07 AM
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? 🧵
So how does it work? 🧵
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? 🧵
How does it work? 🧵
September 25, 2024 at 10:28 PM
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? 🧵
How does it work? 🧵
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. 🧵
September 10, 2024 at 8:47 PM
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. 🧵
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...
September 5, 2024 at 2:01 AM
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...
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. 🧵
August 14, 2024 at 5:47 AM
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. 🧵
Reposted by FACT Aotearoa
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? 🧵
But have you ever wondered how conspiracy theory groups recruit people into those beliefs? 🧵
August 6, 2024 at 5:40 AM
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? 🧵
But have you ever wondered how conspiracy theory groups recruit people into those beliefs? 🧵