Online algorithms are leading ordinary people to target complete strangers, with terrifying results. Photo: Alex Linch / Alamy
A new generation of online sleuths are emerging. Unlike traditional armchair detectives, these self-appointed vigilantes are giving themselves permission to interfere in the lives of complete strangers, regardless of whether any crime has even been committed. Convinced, often by the flimsiest of “evidence”, that someone or something needs to be exposed, they are launching public hate campaigns on social media with seemingly nothing to stop them.
It is in this arena that Byline Times first encountered “SmartSchoolBoy9”; a vulnerable adult who became the focus of an online witch-hunt which has led to criminal damage, doxxing and the harassment of people in multiple communities. We followed the hunt in real time to reveal how social media algorithms and a lack of moderation have allowed this type of group-stalking to flourish.
The story began in April this year when an anonymous Redditor shared screenshots of Instagram posts showing an adult man in school uniform. Asking for help identifying him, they wanted to know whether he was “into age-play or…something more sinister”. Other Redditors visited the profile behind the images (which posted under the name SmartSchoolBoy9) and discovered a network of accounts owned by one man, on which he claimed to be both a young boy and girl. The disturbing content quickly led wannabe detectives to try to identify him.
Four months later, the thread was picked up by YouTuber Nick Crowley, who made a video of their findings. In it, he claimed that the man was named David Alter, that he was 59 years old and lived in London. Crowley also noted that there had been speculation as to Alter’s mental state and confidently declared he was “manipulative” and “knows what he’s doing”.
Despite basic factual errors (David’s surname is not Alter, he is not 59 years old and does not live in London), having no apparent medical basis for his ad hoc diagnosis and no evidence that David had committed any crimes, the video has now been viewed over 10 million times by TikTokers, YouTubers and Redditors many of who tasked themselves with unmasking David and “solving the case”.
Their efforts have since led to an explosion of inflammatory, fact-free content which includes claims that David is a cannibal, plus doxxes of random homes across the country and calls for David to be “taken out”. Teenagers have posted videos of themselves knocking on the door of his last-known address and an unknown man filmed himself running up to the house and putting a brick through the window. Shortly after this, a group of young boys recorded themselves screaming and laughing at a resident who answered the door when workmen came to fix the broken glass.
However, our own investigation showed that, despite some very disturbing behaviour, David has never been convicted of any crimes. Wanting to learn more, we visited his last known location to speak to people who actually knew him.
Anthony runs a cobblers shop and first met David “around about 2000”. He said that, when he last saw him, he “had a school uniform on that looked as though it was four sizes too small for him”. Affectionately describing him as a “little bit of a strange character”, Anthony also said that David “got into a few skirmishes with youngsters, but adults sort of gave him a wide berth”.
This was reflected in a Facebook messenger conversation we had with a woman named Keeley. She told us that, as a 15-year-old, she had been repeatedly followed home from school by David who wanted her to come to his house. This led to David being arrested for stalking, but he was later found not guilty and was sectioned under the mental health act. Staff at the local County Court corroborated this story.
Our wider investigation revealed a complicated childhood and an online history in which David has spent a considerable amount of time interacting with adults under his “schoolgirl” persona. When we reached out to his family, David’s brother-in-law said that he had not seen him since “maybe 2007”. His sister replied to us on social media to say that David “is an adult. He made choices of how to react to life. Many have chosen to overcome hurdles, the past is the past. He could get counselling and support. I’ve moved on from that and have a new life.” David himself has not replied to our request for comment.
Social Media Witch Hunts
The SmartSchoolBoy9 story is the latest in a growing number of viral witch-hunts. Once the sole domain of sites like Kiwi Farms, in the last ten years social media algorithms have enabled this aggressive brand of vigilantism to go mainstream.From Reddit’s abortive foray into the Boston Marathon Bomber investigation, to so-called paedophile hunters and public interference in the Nicola Bulley case, social media appears to have blurred the lines between real life and content. This sort of gamification which has previously allowed dangerous conspiracy content to spread, is now being used to target sometimes random individuals at a cost to our basic human rights.
Dr Daniel Trottier is an associate professor at Erasmus University, Rotterdam. In his 2017 paper Digital Vigilantism and Weaponisation of Visibility he describes this as “a form of cultural violence that simultaneously renders targets visible and legitimates accompanying forms of violence”. He also states that “the emergence of social, geolocated and ubiquitous media has led to a dissolution of [the distinction between online and offline worlds] to the extent that digital media activity can have lasting consequences in both local and global contexts.”
So why aren’t platforms putting a stop to it?
Dr Trottier told Byline Times that “Online vigilantism is made possible through a digital landscape that connects us to a highly volatile audience. When accusations end up on Reddit or TikTok, the reactions that follow are too much for any single person or organisation to control.”
This is compounded by social media algorithms, and platforms which have a history of failing to safeguard their users.
The TikTok algorithm works on a feedback loop whereby the app serves up content and, if a user responds favourably to it, they are then shown more similar content. All of which works well, until it doesn’t. As noted during the 2022 Depp/Heard trial, the TikTok algorithm can be easily manipulated, fooling the app into thinking hateful or harmful posts are popular and should be put into everybody’s feed.
We observed this in real time with SmartSchoolBoy9 content. A flood of TikTok videos appeared, including unscrupulous creators falsely claiming to have interviewed David and children pretending their school was “in lockdown” because David had turned up. The latter generated enough fear in parents that schools had to issue statements to the contrary and the police encouraging kids to stop going after David online.
To date, this does not appear to have slowed the production of SSB9 material on the app. It is unclear what effect these posters are trying to have, or whether they realise that David is still a human being and has the basic human right to live free of harassment.
Representatives from the platforms involved have not responded to requests for comment. However, as of last Friday, the ‘r/smartschoolboy9’ subreddit has now been banned.
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