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ABOUT FRAGMENT ZERO

// The Digital Archive

What we are

Fragment Zero is an independent investigative documentary project that researches and publishes case files on cybersecurity incidents, artificial intelligence systems, surveillance infrastructure, financial cybercrime, and digital mysteries. Each case file is released as a long-form video on YouTube and an accompanying record on this site, with a classified-document framing that mirrors the structure of an investigation in progress.

Our format is inspired by intelligence-community case files, mid-twentieth-century investigative journalism, and the cinematic documentary tradition. We treat each story as evidence to be examined, not as content to be consumed.

Editorial methodology

Every case file follows the same research process:

  1. Source collection. We collect primary documents (court filings, regulatory reports, security research papers, congressional testimony, FOIA responses, official statements) and secondary reporting (mainstream investigative journalism, peer-reviewed academic work).
  2. Cross-corroboration. Every claim that appears in a case file is verified across at least two independent sources where possible. Where only one source exists, this is disclosed.
  3. Named entities only. We work with named entities, named events, named dates. Speculation is labelled as such in narration. We do not present rumour as fact.
  4. Footnoted cases. Each video's classified document on this site links to the underlying sources. The video description on YouTube also lists the primary references.
  5. Corrections. If an error is identified after publication, we publish a correction in the video description, the case-file page, and the next newsletter. We do not silently edit history.

Production

Fragment Zero is produced by a small independent team. Our production stack is fully disclosed and uses generative AI tools for visuals and voice synthesis under the following self-imposed rules:

  • AI-generated thumbnails and scene illustrations are used for narrative reconstruction. They are clearly atmospheric and do not represent photographic or video evidence. Where AI imagery depicts realistic-looking people, this is disclosed in the video description.
  • Voiceover is synthesised from a licensed reference voice. We do not impersonate the voice of any specific real person, public figure, or named subject of an investigation.
  • Music is procedurally generated from royalty-free sources. We do not use copyrighted music without licence.
  • Archival footage is sourced from the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, and other public-domain or Creative Commons collections, with attribution where required.

What we are not

Fragment Zero is not affiliated with any government, intelligence service, security firm, advocacy organisation, or commercial vendor whose products or operations we cover. Where a video discusses the activities of a specific named company, agency, or individual, we hold no relationship with them.

We accept no advertising or sponsorship from companies whose products are the subject of an investigation while that investigation is being produced or in the year following its publication. Future advertising on this Site (if activated) will be standard programmatic placements (e.g. Google AdSense) with no editorial influence.

The classified-document framing on this Site (case-file numbers, departmental codes, redactions, witness protocols) is a storytelling device. References to fictional agencies and document numbers are not real intelligence products and should not be cited as such.

Tip line

If you are a witness to an incident we cover, or if you have primary documents that would help an active case file, you can contact us via:

We protect source confidentiality. We do not store IP addresses on tip submissions longer than necessary to prevent abuse.

Contact

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