Ben Makuch

National Security Reporter, The Intercept | World Press Freedom Award Winner

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Journalists Media Personalities Political Analysts

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Canada/US Relations Cyber Security & Privacy Emerging Topics Fresh Perspectives International Affairs Politics & Current Events Social Justice & Human Rights Technology

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About This Speaker

From interviewing ISIS members to being on the ground during a political assassination in Russia, or sitting in a trench in Ukraine, Ben brings unprecedented access to many of the world’s most dangerous regions. Previously with the Canadian Press’s Parliamentary Bureau, Makuch was in contact with several terror suspects who travelled to Iraq and Syria during the rise of the so-called Islamic State. That reporting caught the attention of federal counterterrorism investigators who are trying to force Makuch to hand over all source materials connected to Farah Mohamed Shirdon, an alleged ISIS fighter from Calgary. Makuch refused and fought the order all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Makuch hosted the hit TV show Cyberwar on Hulu and the VICEtv network, an investigative documentary series examining the covert world of signals intelligence and hackers. He has since worked on the Emmy-award-winning show VICE News Tonight on HBO and Fringe Nation on VICEtv.

Makuch’s recent work on the global neo-Nazi terror group The Base set off a nationwide FBI crackdown that led to over a dozen of its members in jail on charges as wide-ranging as an assassination plot and derailing trains. In the Spotify/Gimlet series American Terror, Makuch took listeners inside the chilling story of The Base and exposed the inner workings of far-right extremism in America.

He is currently a contributor to The Intercept and is covering the ongoing war in Ukraine from the front lines.

Videos

Speaking Topics: Ben Makuch

The Face of Modern Warfare

On the front lines of Donbas, Ukraine can resemble the trenches of the Western Front in WWI, much has (and hasn’t) changed in war. While the need for artillery in manpower remains the same, now, the average Ukrainian soldier contends with a mixed nightmare of drones dropping handgrenades from above or the fear that your text home could give away your position. Add to that, the continued threat of disinformation, constantly streaming in from every orifice of the internet, has changed exactly how modern militaries keep their soldiers motivated. Already with his expertise in cybersecurity and espionage, Makuch, who has covered the war in Ukraine since the invasion in February 2022, gives a firsthand view of how modern war plays out.

Rightwing Extremism

After January 6, 2021, Americans felt blindsided by an organized rightwing mob that infamously attacked the very seat of American political power. But Makuch, who had been reporting on far-right extremism since 2016, knew the organization of this threat had been rising, even long before President Trump took power. Since, everything from forward facing (and armed) 2A militias and underground neo-Nazi terror cells have helped bring about a rising tide of far-right extremism to mainstream American politics. With the 2024 presidential election in the calendar year, Makuch’s Spotify/Gimlet podcast American Terror sheds unprecedented light into how this movement has organized itself and where it’s going next. Makuch can explain to audiences just what America is facing today and how that threat may materialize as the most powerful country in the world chooses its next president.

Cybersecurity

Network breaches and data leaks have become the new corporate and personal threat, how do we combat this new world? Ben shares fascinating stories and provides deep insight for audiences on the threats that exist and how to combat them.

Russian Hackers & Donald Trump

An in-depth understanding of the players involved, Ben has an active investigation into what really happened behind the scenes.

Modern Terrorism

Ben was personally in contact with ISIS militants and embedded himself in their online world where he watched it rise long before the headlines caught on.