Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World is a 2018 documentary film directed by Hans Pool. The film explores the rise of the investigative journalism collective known as Bellingcat, which was founded by Eliot Higgins in 2014. The film provides a glimpse into the workings of the organization and how they use digital tools and social media to investigate and uncover the truth behind events such as the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine, the Salisbury poisoning of Sergei Skripal, and the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government.
The film interviews several members of the Bellingcat team, including Higgins, who serves as the de facto leader of the group. The documentary also profiles a number of other members of the team, including Christiaan Triebert, a Dutch journalist who is known for his work on the use of social media to investigate conflicts, and Aric Toler, an American researcher who specializes in geolocation and video verification.
The film provides an in-depth look at the digital tools and techniques used by Bellingcat and shows how these tools have enabled the group to conduct investigations that were once the domain of professional journalists and intelligence agencies. The film also explores the ethical issues surrounding open-source investigation, such as the potential for false accusations and the need to protect sources.
Overall, Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World is a fascinating and insightful look into a new era of journalism and the people who are changing the way we think about truth and verification in the digital age.