The digital detectives preserving the truth of war | Hadi Al Khatib

Elise Hu (0:00)

A heads up before we begin, this episode includes discussion of war crimes and violence against civilians. Please take care in deciding whether and when to listen.

Hadi Al Khatib (0:10)

If we don't verify and archive information published by citizens, we are at least of losing the truth, of losing the history.

Elise Hu (0:24)

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Digital evidence technologist Hadi Al Khatib has spent more than a decade trying to make sure history doesn't get lost. When violence breaks out today, people on the ground often recorded on their phones and posted online, hoping the world will see. But what happens to all that footage after it's posted?

Hadi Al Khatib (0:51)

This footage doesn't really stay online for the long term, because it was published on social media platforms that were not designed to keep this information available and accessible for the future.

Elise Hu (1:05)

Hadi is a TED fellow, one of more than 500 early stage innovators around the globe, whose work reaches more than 200 million people a year.

They're not just improving broken systems, they're working to build a better future for all of us. In Hadi's case, he's challenging the idea that you can't investigate a war crime without being at the scene. In today's episode, he shares how his organization, Mnemonic, has archived more than 30 million records from conflicts in places like Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and Ukraine, verifying them so they can be used in court. And he's watching a new threat take shape.

Hadi Al Khatib (1:43)

We really hope that the archives can play this role for the future generations, for them to understand the violence that we are facing in these different countries that we are working on. And to learn from that, to learn not to go through the same mistakes that we went through, and to make better decisions for the future.

Elise Hu (2:11)

After he shares his story, Hadi sits down with TED Fellows program director, Lily James Olds. They get into how his work began with a Facebook group during the Syrian uprising, what he thinks social media companies owe the people to document abuses on their platforms, and how his team protects their own well-being while reviewing some of the most disturbing footage in the world. And Hadi explains what that wave of AI generated content means for people trying to document the truth. It's all coming up right after a short break.

SPEAKER_3 (2:51)

The holidays are busy enough without worrying about missed calls or customers. But just because you're swamped doesn't mean people stop calling.

And if nobody picks up, that call goes to your competitor. That's why over 90,000 companies choose Quo, the business phone built for busy teams. Smart call routing sends calls to the right person. Shared numbers let your team cover for each other. And an AI agent picks up when nobody can, capturing every lead, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Money is on the line. Always say hello with Quo. Try Quo for free. Plus, get 20 percent off your first six months when you go to quo.com/tech. That's quo.com/tech.

Elise Hu (3:39)

This message is brought to you by AppleCard. Ah, fall, that cozy season where we swap the swimwear for sweaters and sunnies for scarves. But before the Halloween decorations are put away or the Thanksgiving table has been set, there's already holly jolly music playing in the grocery store, reminding you that the year is coming to a close. Time to kick end of year into high gear. When you use Apple Card with Apple Pay, you earn 2% daily cash back on all purchases, including food, decorations, gifts, and more. Get a head start on your end of year purchases. Apply for your Apple Card in the Wallet app on your iPhone today, and start using it right away with Apple Pay. Subject to credit approval, Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs, Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch, Terms & More at applecard.com.

This episode is brought to you by TikTok. I used to think great work was about being in the right headspace. Then I found a TikTok video that made me think about my physical space. An interior designer explores how things like ceiling height and room size might influence how we think. Now I wonder how much of our environment shapes our work without us noticing. Now I'm looking at my workspace, asking what kind of thinking I'm making room for. On TikTok, one idea can change how you see something you thought you knew.

Your next discovery is waiting on TikTok.