A collaborative investigation titled “Digital Poachers,” launched in June 2026 by the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (CLIP) and several regional media partners, has shed light on a dangerous trend of orchestrated online harassment against environmental defenders. Spanning six countries—from Mexico to Brazil—the project documents how misinformation campaigns are weaponized to discredit activists, often serving as a precursor to real-world threats and violence. The findings reveal that these attacks are predominantly concentrated on platforms like X and Facebook, frequently traced back to actors within the mining and real-estate industries who seek to silence opposition to their operations.
The investigation was spearheaded by a coalition of high-profile outlets, including Brazil’s AFP Checamos, ColombiaCheck, Guatemala’s Agencia Ocote, Honduras’ Contracorriente, Panama’s Concolón, and Mexican partners Animal Político and Mongabay Latam. Supported by UNESCO’s Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, the team utilized a shared database to compile nearly 800 documented instances of digital aggression between 2017 and 2026. By interviewing victims and employing specialized software, journalists were able to map out the recurring narratives used to portray activists as paid agitators or individuals with corrupt, hidden interests.
A central premise of the project is the documentation of how “disinformation machines” operate in the digital sphere to delegitimize environmental advocacy. According to CLIP’s misinformation editor, Pablo Medina, these campaigns rely on a combination of climate misinformation and reputational attacks to erode public trust in defenders. The project managers underscored the severity of these digital assaults, noting that they do not merely aim to distort public discourse; they often escalate into physical persecution, forced exile, and mortal threats, making the protection of these defenders a matter of fundamental human rights rather than just information literacy.
Technologically, the project stands out for its sophisticated, collaborative methodology, which integrated AI-powered workflows with rigorous manual verification. As the data surfaced, the team—led by data coordinator Àngela Cantador—used Python scripts and OpenAI tools to refine the classification of attacks, moving from general categories like “reputational attacks” to more specific classifications such as “criminalization,” “stigmatization,” and “gender-based harassment.” This workflow allowed the team to process a massive volume of information while ensuring that the nuances of each case remained grounded in human analysis, serving as a replicable roadmap for future journalistic investigations.
Despite the depth of the data gathered, the CLIP team made the strategic decision not to release the full database publicly. This protective measure was implemented to prevent the “revictimization” of activists already under attack and to avoid amplifying the very disinformation that the project seeks to combat. By focusing on analyzing the underlying patterns and narrative structures rather than exposing specific, sensitive records, the researchers successfully highlighted the systemic nature of the harassment without inadvertently providing tools for further harm to the individuals identified in their reports.
Ultimately, “Digital Poachers” serves as a definitive case study in how AI can be ethically deployed to track harmful digital trends. While the project uses advanced technology to handle large datasets, the team emphasizes that human oversight remains non-negotiable to maintain journalistic integrity and ethical standards. As media organizations around the world pivot toward automated, data-driven journalism, this collective effort stands as a critical checkpoint, reminding the industry that their tools must be directed toward protecting vulnerable populations and defending the right to life in an increasingly volatile digital environment.
