Published SourceSource / Evidence Document

Craig Silverman Formalises Online Debunking Method For CEN Investigation

This document is a 3 December 2014 BuzzFeed email exchange with the subject “Verification CEN and Emergent”, showing Craig Silverman joining Tom Phillips and Alan White as the CEN investigation began to take structured form. It is included in the Source Library as source/evidence material connected to the early development of BuzzFeed’s investigation into Central European News. It records Silverman proposing a shared methodology, spreadsheet-style tracking and “same test” approach for CEN-linked stories, while Phillips discusses dividing up “as-yet-undebunked” items, adding online research results and creating a “breadcrumb trail” of what had been found. It is relevant because it shows Silverman’s arrival did not redirect the inquiry towards original reporting, source contact or on-the-ground verification, but instead helped formalise an online debunking workflow in which suspicious-looking stories were searched, scored, linked and framed as evidence against CEN.

Source

Part of Central European News & Mike Leidig v BuzzFeed (US Second Circuit Libel Case) – BF Case Documents

Europe Media Published 1 May 2026 at 21:09 Source: 1 November 2016

Tags

BuzzFeedCENCentral European NewsCraig SilvermanTom PhillipsAlan WhiteEmergentverificationonline debunkingmethodologyspreadsheetbreadcrumb trailsuspect storiesas-yet-undebunkedtruthinesssource evidencedisclosurefake news narrative

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Credit: newsX

These documents are made available as source material connected to the Central European News and Mike Leidig v BuzzFeed libel proceedings and the related book. They are provided for reference, research, and evidential context only. No reuse licence is granted by the uploader, and any further use is the responsibility of the person using the material.

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