Cases › leaked private data › LR-2026-0151

AI-assisted LinkedIn scraping used to build 'Traitorbase' doxxing spreadsheet targeting RNLI staff and anti-racism activists

Severity moderate: Other parties' data or systems were touched, and a source states how far it reached. Details about named individuals were published online in a spreadsheet, touching the data of others with a bounded scope.

Earliest source we hold 2026-10-10

An X account called “Big Time Charlie” appears to have used AI to scrape LinkedIn and other sites to build a “Traitorbase” of RNLI staff, anti-racism activists and executives who recruit minority ethnic workers. It published personal details and photographs of named individuals online, doxxing them and exposing them to harassment. The account had almost 50,000 followers and had become increasingly prominent as RNLI staff were harassed and attacked online by far-right activists. The campaign group Hope Not Hate named Tom Watson as being behind the account, and the account was deactivated shortly afterwards.

Risk grouping: AI used to exploit

Who caused it	A person or organisation “Tom Watson, from Worcester, is alleged to be behind an X account calling itself “Big Time Charlie”, which was deactivated shortly after he was named by the campaign group Hope Not Hate.” source
Intended or not	Intended “The owner of a recruitment firm has been accused of being at the centre of a so-called “doxxing” campaign against the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), anti-racism activists and business executives who recruit black, Asian and minority ethnic workers.” source
Before or after release	After release “The account had almost 50,000 followers and had become increasingly prominent in recent weeks as RNLI staff found themselves being harassed and attacked online as far-right activists targeted them over their involvement in rescuing people trying to cross the Channel in small boats.” source
The AI's part	Used as a tool “The account, which has a history of racist comments, appears to have been using AI to scrape data from LinkedIn and other sites to build a so-called Traitorbase.” source

The story

1 · What it was doingAn X account called “Big Time Charlie” appears to have used AI to scrape LinkedIn and other sites to build a “Traitorbase” of RNLI staff, anti-racism activists and executives who recruit minority ethnic workers.

2 · What went wrongIt published personal details and photographs of named individuals online, doxxing them and exposing them to harassment, which breached their privacy.

3 · What it reached or didDetails of RNLI staff, anti-racism activists and business executives were published to almost 50,000 followers, and one target reported it to police.

4 · How it was caughtThe campaign group Hope Not Hate named Watson as being behind the account, and the account was deactivated shortly afterwards.

5 · What was doneThe Big Time Charlie account was removed almost immediately after Hope Not Hate named Watson and after the Guardian approached him for comment; Watson was approached for comment.

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Show every field, with its source and grade

The AI system

Tools it was given

web scraping

C one secondary source states it

How it was connected

free text: AI used to scrape data from LinkedIn and other sites

C one secondary source states it

What it was for

using AI to scrape data from LinkedIn and other sites to build a so-called Traitorbase

C one secondary source states it

What happened

Earliest source we hold

2026-10-10

A the date the source itself carries

What went wrong

leaked private data

D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown

AI agent

an AI agent acted

C one secondary source states it

Impact

Severity

moderate

D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown

Who was affected

RNLI staff, anti-racism activists and business executives who recruit black, Asian and minority ethnic workers

C one secondary source states it

Why this severity

Other parties' data or systems were touched, and a source states how far it reached. Details about named individuals were published online in a spreadsheet, touching the data of others with a bounded scope.

D inferred by us from the described behaviour, reason shown

Context

Country

United Kingdom

C one secondary source states it

LR-2026-0151 · version 3 · published 2026-10-25 after automatic checks; not yet checked field by field by a person · changes to this case · JSON