BREAKING. JUST IN. Newsflashes come in many forms and from many outlets, and with more than one million followers on Twitter, The Spectator Index seems to be a large outlet tweeting news as it comes in. It follows nobody, but its followers include policymakers (Mike Gapes is a particular fan), ambassadors, journalists, and Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter. It also has a small following on Facebook and Instagram plus a scantily detailed website. The website’s main goal is to sign up people to its apparent sole source of income, a paid-for daily newsletter. No physical publication, no news stories, and no details as to its editorial staff or ownership. Twitter users variably suggest it is sponsored by countries such as Russia, India, Pakistan and China. But what’s the truth?
The story of The Spectator Index begins in July 2013, not as The Spectator Index, but as The International Spectator using the handle @INTLSpectator. It described itself as a “new online magazine website, offering analysis and insight into the world’s international political, economic, scientific, cultural and entertainment developments. We seek to enhance understanding of global affairs and engagement with them, regardless of the actors and complexities involved.” Then, as now, no further details are provided as to its staff or country of origin, beyond a footer on its website stating the content was “© The International Spectator Limited 2013”. No such company existed.
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