Chicago-based fact check/misinformation reporter Amanda Seitz studied Facebook groups that opposed coronavirus shutdowns. finding that they shifted their target to the Black Lives Matter movement. Acting on a tip that such groups have a history of fundraising off hot-button issues, Seitz developed a database to track the groups, immersing herself in the online community to monitor misinformation and hate speech as the groups turned their attention against the Black Lives activism in the wake of George Floyd’s killing.
The day after Seitz’s story was published, Facebook began suppressing search results for some of the groups mentioned in her story in an effort to limit their reach.