Key facts
- Tom Watson, owner of AI recruitment firm Futura Energy Group, is accused of operating a doxxing campaign.
- The campaign targeted the RNLI, anti-racism activists, and business executives involved in hiring minority ethnic staff.
- The campaign allegedly used an X account named "Big Time Charlie" to publish personal information.
- The "Big Time Charlie" account was deactivated shortly after Watson was identified by Hope Not Hate.
- The account reportedly used AI to scrape data from sites like LinkedIn to create a "Traitorbase."
- Targets reported the campaign aimed to spread misinformation and sow discord.
Tom Watson, the owner of AI recruitment firm Futura Energy Group, has been accused of orchestrating a doxxing campaign against the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), anti-racism activists, and business executives. The campaign allegedly operated through an X account known as "Big Time Charlie," which was deactivated shortly after Watson was identified by the campaign group Hope Not Hate.
The "Big Time Charlie" account, which had nearly 50,000 followers, had become prominent for targeting the RNLI over their rescue efforts in the English Channel and for posting racist comments. Hope Not Hate alleges that the account used AI to scrape data from LinkedIn and other platforms to compile a "Traitorbase" of individuals.
Targets of the doxxing campaign, including Green party councillor Chantelle Lunt, reported the impact of having their personal details published online. Lunt stated that the information appeared on a spreadsheet alongside other individuals involved in "Stand Up to Racism," and she filed a police report. A spokesperson for a targeted charity described the campaign as a "cynical attempt to spread misinformation" aimed at sowing discord and hindering the work of organizations helping vulnerable communities.
Businesses and executives involved in hiring minority ethnic staff were also targeted. One businessperson described the experience as "bizarre" but fortunately without immediate negative consequences. Evidence linking Watson to the "Big Time Charlie" account includes references to being in Puerto Rico, where Futura Energy Group is based, and matching travel posts with the account's location updates. The X account also claimed to have donated £2,500 to Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain party.