The Wire responds, including an alleged recording of an internal Instagram subdomain and DKIM verification, to Meta's statement questioning its XCheck probe
A point-by-point response to Meta's statement questioning The Wire's story on the ease with which the BJP IT Cell head is able to get Instagram to delete posts he reports. Tweets: @thewire_in , @rmnth , @matthew_d_green , @martinsfp , @zoeschiffer , @onosmosis , @mikarv , @hatr , @adityakalra , @nikita1712 , @tweepul , @profcarroll , and @jahnavi_sen Tweets: @thewire_in : EXCLUSIVE | This week, The Wire reported on Meta's XCheck program giving BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya veto power on Instagram, and leaked an email from @andymstone that was at odds with his public denial. Meta called this “a fabrication”. It wasn't. 🧵 https://thewire.in/... https://twitter.com/... Ramnath / @rmnth : If the email from Andy Stone is fake, as Meta claims, what explains this? https://thewire.in/... https://twitter.com/... Matthew Green / @matthew_d_green : These folks say that they've verified the DKIM headers on an email sent by Andy Stone of Meta (which he denies sending): this is the “who leaked this?” email related to the Indian govt having power to delete posts on Instagram. https://thewire.in/... @martinsfp : I still don't understand why the alleged Stone email reads like it was written by someone with English as a second language. https://twitter.com/... Zoë Schiffer / @zoeschiffer : The latest twist in The Wire / Meta story: The Wire has published a new article refuting Meta's claims that the documents were fabricated. The publication says it used an email authentication protocol to verify the leaks. “We stand by our stories entirely” https://thewire.in/... Devesh Kumar / @onosmosis : I don't know what to say new. Everything is here in this third piece. There are multiple emails, verifications with DKIM (something no media house has done before), live video recordings, references to other articles, and use of tech in ‘tech journalism’. https://thewire.in/... Michael Veale / @mikarv : The Wire now running a v interesting rebuttal to Meta's claim that incredibly damning internal emails were fake, with evidence that the email is in use, DKIM headers valid, and more. Suggests FB v successful in sowing doubt and limiting the story's impact. https://thewire.in/... https://twitter.com/... Hakan / @hatr : „The Wire" releases an article providing technical documentation and proof - such as verifying DKIM signatures of a sent e-mail and internal URLs - and stands by its reporting that Facebook so vehemently denied https://thewire.in/... https://twitter.com/... Aditya Kalra / @adityakalra : Meta indicated ‘ https://instagram.workplace.com/’ is not in use. The Wire's sources at Meta have said that link exists. Evidence? One of the sources made and shared a recording of them navigating the portal and showing other case files. By @thewire_in. https://thewire.in/... Nikita Saxena / @nikita1712 : Painstakingly reported rebuttal—hope to learn from the engagement and follow-up reporting on this case by tech reporters. Beyond the noise—and agreement or disagreement—it is the only way stories of import can move forward. https://twitter.com/... Suhail / @tweepul : Comprehensive pt by pt rebuttal that leaves no doubt on FB's vile PR hitjobs. I was one of the few who privately wondered if the Andy Stone email was a gotcha-attack to discredit the orig well-researched story. Glad to be proven wrong on it. Well done @jahnavi_sen @thewire_in https://twitter.com/... David Carroll / @profcarroll : Well, well, well. Detailed forensic evidence that debunks denialz. Your move, Facebook. https://twitter.com/... Jahnavi Sen / @jahnavi_sen : Meta has levelled some entirely unfounded allegations against us in the last few days to discredit @thewire_in's reporting. @onosmosis, @svaradarajan and I explain why we're standing by our stories - and how we know Meta's claims were false. https://thewire.in/...