
🔍 Discover how Google manipulates search results through their "fairness" algorithms and shadow banning practices. In this explosive interview, investigative journalist James O'Keefe reveals insider information about Google's secret methods to control information flow and "prevent certain situations."
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James O'Keefe
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Interview Host
Countries have sent spies and gotten information.
James O'Keefe
And we don't know it. And with me, I'm a reporter, so I publish it. But I said to the guy, confronted him on this week, I said, you're lucky I'm not a Chinese spy.
Interview Host
What was his response?
James O'Keefe
He was mute. They, he, they run away. Usually they park the car like way far away. So it was a long.
Interview Host
I love how you filmed that part too. All right, guys, we got James here. He just did 20 pull ups right.
James O'Keefe
Over there with wearing this freaking thing. It's like £20.
Interview Host
So it's like a weighted vest.
James O'Keefe
It's a weighted vest right there.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
Well done, man. And you just had four whistleblowers on stage with you?
James O'Keefe
Yes.
Interview Host
What were they talking about?
James O'Keefe
So there was two border patrol agents, one Disney, one fema. And these are people who are witness to, for example, children being trafficked or FEMA not doing their jobs. The Disney guy, children being transitioned to a different gender. And they are very brave people. On stage with me and we're announcing this program. We're going to defend them, pay their legal bills and support them when they speak the truth.
Interview Host
Wow. So the two border ones, is the government going after them?
James O'Keefe
Yes, well, they are, but there's a new administration coming January 20th, so hopefully that'll change.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
And Line in the sand just came out. Congratulations.
James O'Keefe
Line in the Sand. I'm very proud of the film with Tucker Carlson. It was really a special movie because it was a documentary, but it was not really like any documentary has ever seen. It shows versus tells. It takes you there. I go to Mexico, I follow them on the train. All illegal immigrants all the way to Los Angeles, New York City, where the fraud is being perpetrated. And in Texas where they have the NGOs that house all the unaccompanied children.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
How much did it cost to get across the border?
James O'Keefe
Oh, so me personally, I didn't cross the border, but they about $10,000 for many of the people that we put cameras on. And sometimes it could range. It could be from 1500 to 30,000 for some of the Chinese illegal immigrants.
Interview Host
Wow. And that's the Mexican border, right?
James O'Keefe
Yes.
Interview Host
I wonder if that's going on in Canada too.
James O'Keefe
It is. Zachary Apotheker, one of the border patrol agents stationed in Vermont on the Canadian border. I did not realize how porous it was there, but a lot of people sneaking into Vermont from Quebec.
Interview Host
Really? I did not know that. That's not really being covered too much in the mainstream.
James O'Keefe
No, it's not. And Zachary, in the end of the film, if you haven't seen Line of the sand, it's very powerful. He's in his patrol car on the Canadian border, just crying because he's so frustrated by the. The COVID ups of children getting raped.
Interview Host
Right.
James O'Keefe
And he speaks publicly. You're not supposed to speak publicly when you're in your patrol car. He does. So they took his gun, his badge away for speaking out.
Guest 1
Damn.
Interview Host
I also saw you recently exposed Biden. Someone was talking about how he was pretty much declining mentally.
James O'Keefe
An advisor to the National Security Council and the White House was caught on one of my hidden cameras on a date, spilling all this information about Biden. Can't complete a sentence that may not be that shocking. But he said it's worse than we think. And further, the guy works for the National Security Council, which is like high level. And he's just blabbing in a restaurant. And it begs the question, what type of people do we have working in the intelligence community? That's stupid. It's the worst espionage ever to be out there and just telling what if I was a Chinese spy?
Interview Host
Right.
James O'Keefe
And I think that was the real big headline of that story.
Interview Host
I mean, I'm sure other countries have sent spies and gotten information and we don't know it.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
And with me, I'm a reporter, so I publish it. But I said to the guy, confronted him on this Week, I said, you're lucky I'm not a Chinese spy.
Interview Host
Right. What was his response?
James O'Keefe
He was mute. They. They run away and usually they park the car like way far away. So it was a long.
Interview Host
I love how you film that part too. You question them all the way out.
James O'Keefe
Yes. I was wearing a tuxedo because I was coming from an event, and it was a long walk.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
You're good at lining up those dates, man.
James O'Keefe
Yes.
Interview Host
Well done. Here's what we do. Smooth talker.
James O'Keefe
Yeah. And, you know, you just got to talk about them. You got to express interest in them. And people, People confess their secrets.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
I loved your investigation into Disney, by the way.
James O'Keefe
Disney over the summer. And the guy here from Disney was one of the guys inside the company that gave us the intel, and they fired him, and we just gave him $100,000 check to support him.
Interview Host
Well done, man. Well done. Disney just removed a transgender scene. I don't know if you saw this from one of their movies.
James O'Keefe
I did not know that.
Interview Host
Yeah, it happened recently. There was a scene about transitioning and it got removed.
James O'Keefe
I didn't know what movie it was.
Interview Host
I don't. We'll have to link it below, but, yeah, I think you played a role in that so well.
James O'Keefe
And people said, don't go after Disney. They're too powerful. And I don't know, I just, I think, I think the public will respect me more if I don't show favor or lack of favor for this or that. If you're doing something wrong, you're trying to hide it, I'll. I'll expose you.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
That's what I love about you. You're not scared of any company.
James O'Keefe
I mean, I, I, I was in LA making this film in post production, and everyone was like, don't go after Disney. Don't go for Disney. And there were conversations and people said, don't go after Disney. And I said, no, I'm not gonna not go after.
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James O'Keefe
Know, it'd be worse for me if I took that advice.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
I mean, you went after Google, you went after a lot of big companies.
James O'Keefe
BlackRock, Pfizer, the FBI, Disney. The cartel is in the film. That was still a little terrifying.
Interview Host
The most powerful enemies in the world.
James O'Keefe
Yes. And you have the back of the people and you have. And you're the enemy. As you know, I was, I was terminated from my own creation. I was fired from Project Veritas. The institution I created in many regards do the same work is it's, it runs contrary to being part of an institution. You kind of have to be a maverick. You have to be an outsider to do this.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
Insane. What did you find out at Google?
James O'Keefe
I did many stories on Google. I think the one that comes to mind is Zachary Voorhees exposed Google's machine learning algorithms about fairness. And if the information is unfair, they'll change the search results to make it fair.
Interview Host
You saw that with the Trump episode, whatever that means.
James O'Keefe
I mean, that's like, that's like science fiction stuff. I mean, what, what do you mean? Information is fair. I think you want. When I think you want true information. So that was a really interesting one.
Interview Host
I mean, you saw with the Trump Rogan episode, you couldn't search it on Google.
James O'Keefe
Well, there you go.
Interview Host
It didn't pop up.
James O'Keefe
That's an example.
Interview Host
And certain topics are still shadow banned to this day.
James O'Keefe
Yes, and I mean, and that's. That, that's definitely an example. It's a circumstantial example. And you got to go into the Code and get the. Get the damning. There was one quote we got from Jen Janai at Google, who said we have to quote, this is in 2020, 2019. She said we have to prevent the next Trump situation. She was saying we got to prevent Trump from winning the election. So they have them say it to have the code that shows it. That's what you need.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
ActBlue was a big expose you did as well.
James O'Keefe
20, 23 and 24. We exposed FEC donations to Act Blue. Very curious that there were people that were in poverty donating hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Interview Host
Do you think campaign financing law should be changed? Because there's certain parties raising way more than others.
James O'Keefe
I think the Federal Election Commission needs to investigate that situation. I don't know. I never got to the bottom of why that was happening. Was it money laundering from a foreign country? Was it something to do with Stripe and the payment processor? Was it a glitch on the FEC website? We never got the answer. It's remarkable how few people were curious. Except for the people, not the institutions. They didn't care. So we're not yet. We haven't found the truth on that one.
Interview Host
FBI still has your phones?
James O'Keefe
Yeah, I was raided three and a half years ago. They still have my devices on. I mean, I can get them back, but they probably put all type of spyware on there. So I don't know if I wanted.
Interview Host
Yeah, I wouldn't want those back.
James O'Keefe
In principle, I should have them back.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
Three and a half years and you've probably made numerous requests and they're just being ignored.
James O'Keefe
I've spent millions on legal fees and motions and they raided me and they still could still indict me. I don't think they will. The ACLU is defending me. And it was definitely a chilling effect. You want to talk about chilling effect on the press?
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
To raid a journalist's house, that's the greatest chilling effect ever.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
And perhaps one of the most venal sins to do it to a reporter because you're chilling out. All the sources come forward. It was really despicable and traumatizing.
Interview Host
Absolutely. Did they ever tell you what story that caused that?
James O'Keefe
Yeah, it was the Ashley Biden diary. The daughter of the Professor Biden, Ashley, his sister has a diary and someone provided it to me and I looked into it, never published it. They raided me anyway.
Interview Host
Wow. That's nuts, man. I hope you beat that case, dude. I'll be surprised.
James O'Keefe
I hope I do more than beat it. I hope the people who do this go to jail.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
Because it's illegal. The Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland, forbid, expressly forbids force against news reporters. And they just broke their own law.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
And that's why the laws don't really matter. It's. Who's the one enforcing them.
Interview Host
Well, Christopher resigned, so we have a.
James O'Keefe
I think we have a change of. Of momentum or the pendulum is shifting here for a little while. For sure.
Interview Host
Absolutely. You posted on X that you believe Edward Snowden should be pardone.
James O'Keefe
I do.
Interview Host
I do as well. I think Trump can make a big decision with that one. You think he'll do it?
James O'Keefe
Do I think he'll do it? I. I don't know. I don't know about predicting whether he will do it. I think he should do it. And I think what he uncovered with spying on people is, you know, sometimes that's what you have to do. Sometimes you just have to do things that are uncous or not necessarily legal. If you're a whistleblower doing it, you have to do it because we are predicated as a country on the public's right to know information. That is what if you want to live in a different country where you are abiding by a different set of values, But America is based on our. The consent of the governed, and therefore the public must know things like that. Therefore, I think you should be pardoned.
Interview Host
Absolutely. Elon Musk buying X, Was that the savior of social media, in your opinion?
James O'Keefe
I think it was the greatest thing that ever happened to the First Amendment in the history of Western civilization.
Interview Host
I think it was massive for someone like you because you could actually share your stories.
James O'Keefe
Like, literally.
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James O'Keefe
Weeks after I was banned on Twitter, and then weeks before I broke that Pfizer story, Elon put me back on.
Interview Host
Wow.
James O'Keefe
So. But not for Elon Musk. I don't think that any of that would happen. And, you know, I've been fighting this even most of my life. I've been doing this since I was in college. So 20 years and embattled and underdog and constantly under. So it does feel weird to have the. The culture and climate that we're in right now.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
We went to the same college, by the way.
James O'Keefe
Is that right?
Interview Host
Rutgers.
James O'Keefe
I think I remember you telling me that.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
What year did you graduate?
Interview Host
I did not graduate.
James O'Keefe
More power, too.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
I started in 2015.
James O'Keefe
Okay.
Interview Host
Made it a year.
James O'Keefe
Well, Rutgers, New Brunswick.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
Okay.
Interview Host
Of course.
James O'Keefe
New Brunswick. Is that where you're from?
Interview Host
I'm from New Jersey.
James O'Keefe
Bridgewater from Bergen County.
Interview Host
Let's go.
James O'Keefe
Yeah, let's go.
Interview Host
Jersey people work hard, man.
James O'Keefe
Jersey people, they're loyal. Jersey people are, you know, special people.
Interview Host
They are. Jersey Shore painted us in a bad light.
James O'Keefe
I don't even know. I think all those people are from, like, New York, Binghamton or something. They weren't even from New Jersey.
Interview Host
When are you investigating Bill Gates? Because that's needed.
James O'Keefe
You know, I can't comment on things I'm doing at the moment, but in late January, I got something coming.
Interview Host
I love it, dude. I love it. You probably get pulled in so many directions.
James O'Keefe
There's too many. I mean. And that's why you have to be careful with your time, because everyone's got a story to tell, but it really comes down to the evidence that you're showing. Not just the testimony, but the evidence.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
What do you think of all the drone stuff happening in Jersey, in New York?
James O'Keefe
I don't have a comment because. I don't know. I don't like to speculate and I'd have to speculate. I haven't looked into that.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
I don't know.
Interview Host
I like that, you know, people could have made up an answer.
James O'Keefe
I don't know. I. I try to only say things I know. So we'll see.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
Any documentaries you're working on next, though?
James O'Keefe
Well, I'm trying to get Line in the sand, widely distributed right now. It's on Tucker.
Guest 1
Yeah.
James O'Keefe
And I'm working on maybe theaters, maybe.
Guest 1
Nice.
James O'Keefe
Because I really think it's a really important and seminal work for me. It was really, really hard to make and a very unusual film.
Interview Host
That's going to be a tough battle because what they did to that one movie, the child trafficking one. I forget the name. It was a couple years.
Guest 1
Yeah.
Interview Host
They blocked it in a lot of theaters. Right.
James O'Keefe
I. I think that things are changing in the. In the. The market economy. I think that's going to change. I think people want to see this sort of thing.
Interview Host
That's good, man. Well, I can't wait to keep up with you. Where can people keep up to date with what you're up to?
James O'Keefe
I mean, I'm James O'Keefe III. James O'Keefe III on Instagram, X Facebook, O'keefemediagroup.com is my company. Citizen Journalism foundation is my nonprofit. And I'm here at amfest. And tonight we're having a party called Make America Rave Again. And you're coming.
Interview Host
I'm coming. We're gonna rave, guys. Let's go. See ya.
James O'Keefe
Boom.
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Digital Social Hour Podcast Summary
Episode Title: Google's Shadow Algorithm: The Search Results They Hide | James O'Keefe Part 2 DSH #1010
Release Date: December 24, 2024
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: James O'Keefe
In this episode of the Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly engages in a candid and in-depth conversation with investigative journalist James O'Keefe. The discussion spans a wide array of topics, including O'Keefe's investigative work, challenges faced while exposing powerful institutions, the impact of social media platforms on journalism, and his ongoing and future projects. The episode offers listeners a comprehensive look into the underbelly of corporate and governmental operations through the lens of a seasoned whistleblower.
James O'Keefe delves into his investigations involving border patrol agents and the troubling activities witnessed at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders.
Hidden Camera Revelations:
O'Keefe discusses interactions with border patrol agents, highlighting the porous nature of the Vermont-Quebec border.
"It's very poruous," O'Keefe explains at [02:50], emphasizing the ease with which individuals are infiltrating the border unregulated.
Emotional Testimonies:
He references Zachary Apotheker, a border patrol agent whose emotional breakdown underscored the severe human rights violations occurring, such as child trafficking and abuse.
"He does speak publicly... they took his gun, his badge away for speaking out," O'Keefe shares at [03:06].
O'Keefe sheds light on internal issues within Disney, particularly concerning the treatment and representation of transgender children.
Whistleblower Support:
He introduces whistleblowers from Disney who risked their careers to expose these issues.
"The Disney guy... gave us the intel, and they fired him, and we just gave him a $100,000 check to support him," he states at [04:55].
Content Censorship:
The removal of a transgender scene from a Disney movie is discussed, highlighting the influence and control exercised by large corporations over media content.
"Disney just removed a transgender scene. I think you played a role in that so well," Kelly notes at [05:10].
O'Keefe reveals his findings on the Biden administration, focusing on potential espionage and the integrity of the intelligence community.
National Security Concerns:
He recounts an incident where an advisor to the National Security Council was caught divulging sensitive information.
"He said it's worse than we think... what type of people do we have working in the intelligence community?" – O'Keefe at [04:09].
Espionage Allegations:
Confronting the advisor, O'Keefe provocatively states,
"You're lucky I'm not a Chinese spy," at [04:25], leading to the advisor fleeing the scene silently.
O'Keefe discusses his expose on ActBlue, a major fundraising platform, questioning the legitimacy of large donations from individuals purportedly in poverty.
"We exposed FEC donations to Act Blue... people that were in poverty donating hundreds of thousands of dollars," he explains at [09:22].
Call for Investigation:
He urges the Federal Election Commission to investigate potential money laundering or systemic glitches.
"It's remarkable how few people were curious. Except for the people, not the institutions," O'Keefe remarks at [09:39].
O'Keefe opens up about the FBI raid on his residence three and a half years prior, the ongoing confiscation of his devices, and the chilling effect it has had on press freedom.
Raid Details:
"They raided me... they still have my devices on," O'Keefe shares at [10:07].
Impact on Journalism:
He emphasizes the detrimental impact of such actions on investigative journalism.
"To raid a journalist's house, that's the greatest chilling effect ever," he states at [10:21].
Specific Incident:
The raid was reportedly triggered by the Ashley Biden diary investigation, although O'Keefe never published the findings.
"Someone provided it to me and I looked into it, never published it. They raided me anyway," he reveals at [10:54].
O'Keefe discusses the significance of Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter (now X) and its positive implications for the First Amendment and free speech.
"I think it was the greatest thing that ever happened to the First Amendment in the history of Western civilization," O'Keefe asserts at [12:35].
Reinstatement on X:
He highlights how being reinstated on the platform enabled him to continue sharing his investigations.
"Weeks after I was banned on Twitter... Elon put me back on," he notes at [13:14].
O'Keefe hints at future projects, including the distribution of his documentary, Line in the Sand, featuring Tucker Carlson.
"I'm trying to get Line in the sand widely distributed right now. It's on Tucker," he mentions at [14:59].
The Film's Significance:
He believes the documentary is a seminal work that highlights critical issues and anticipates it being well-received as market dynamics shift towards valuing such content.
"I really think it's a really important and seminal work for me," O'Keefe states at [15:03].
While keeping specifics under wraps, O'Keefe alludes to upcoming investigations that may involve high-profile figures like Bill Gates.
The conversation briefly touches on O'Keefe and Sean Kelly's shared history at Rutgers University.
O'Keefe underscores his dedication to uncovering the truth, regardless of the opposition faced from powerful entities.
On Espionage Concerns:
"You're lucky I'm not a Chinese spy."
— James O'Keefe at [04:25]
On Press Freedom:
"To raid a journalist's house, that's the greatest chilling effect ever."
— James O'Keefe at [10:21]
On Social Media's Role:
"I think it was the greatest thing that ever happened to the First Amendment in the history of Western civilization."
— James O'Keefe at [12:35]
On Future Investigations:
"I think the public will respect me more if I don't show favor or lack of favor for this or that. If you're doing something wrong, you're trying to hide it, I'll expose you."
— James O'Keefe at [05:22]
Sean Kelly's interview with James O'Keefe offers a gripping exploration of the challenges and triumphs inherent in investigative journalism. O'Keefe's relentless pursuit of truth, despite facing legal repercussions and institutional pushback, underscores the vital role of watchdogs in maintaining transparency and accountability. The episode serves as both an informative and inspiring narrative for aspiring entrepreneurs, journalists, and professionals committed to uncovering and addressing systemic injustices in today's digital age.
Stay Connected with James O'Keefe:
Join the Conversation:
Follow James at #MakeAmericaRaveAgain during his events and engagements.
Note: This summary excludes advertisements and non-content segments from the original podcast transcript to focus solely on the substantive discussions between Sean Kelly and James O'Keefe.