wtf is this shit?
who are these losers?
what are they trying to accomplish?

12/2/2025 3:49:43 PM

What are "1st Amendment Auditors"?"1st Amendment Auditors" (also called "Frauds" by critics, or just "auditors") are people who go out in public with cameras (usually GoPros or phones) and deliberately film police officers, government employees, and public buildings while claiming they’re exercising their First Amendment rights to free speech and free press. They often try to provoke reactions—standing close to police stations, post offices, courthouses, military bases, etc.—and then upload the encounters to YouTube, Rumble, or TikTok, hoping the officials freak out or violate their rights on camera.Who are these people?Mostly adult men (20s–50s), a mix of:Libertarian/anti-government types who genuinely hate cops and bureaucracy.
Sovereign-citizen-adjacent weirdos who think laws don’t apply to them.
Grifters who discovered that angry “TYRANT COP OWNED” thumbnails = ad revenue and Patreon donations.

A few big names: Audit the Audit, LackLuster, Long Island Audit, News Now Patrick, James Madison Audits, Amagansett Press, etc.
Some are ex-felons or people who’ve had bad run-ins with police and now do this full-time as revenge/therapy/money.

What are they trying to accomplish?They claim three main goals (in order of how sincerely most of them believe it):“Hold public officials accountable” – They say they’re testing whether cops and government workers know the law and respect rights. If someone tells them to stop filming in a public place or demands ID without reasonable suspicion, they scream “Constitution!” and later monetize the meltdown.
Educate the public – A lot of them insist they’re teaching viewers what their rights actually are (and sometimes they’re technically correct: you generally can film police in public, no RETS law applies on sidewalks, etc.).
Make money – This is the real driver for 90% of the big channels. A viral “I FEARED FOR MY LIFE” cop freakout can pull hundreds of thousands or millions of views, plus Superchats, donations, merch, etc. Some of the top ones clear six figures a year doing this.

Why people call them losers/assholesMany intentionally act like obnoxious dicks (following employees into restricted areas, refusing to identify when legally required in some states, mocking people, etc.) just to bait a reaction for content.
They’ll sue departments for tiny violations and brag about “fleecing the taxpayers” (i.e., settlements they get).
A bunch have criminal records, doxxing accusations, or have been caught staging encounters.
The phrase “rights don’t have feelings” is their mantra when someone asks them to back off or be decent human beings.

Bottom lineA tiny fraction are principled civil-liberties activists. The overwhelming majority are camera-wielding trolls who discovered that being a confrontational jackass in public is now a viable career because YouTube pays per rage-click. They’re the modern evolution of the guy who used to scream at cops from his porch, except now they get sponsorships from flashlight and body-cam companies.

12/2/2025 5:01:58 PM

First Amendment Auditors are mostly men who film police and government workers under the banner of free-speech rights, often provoking confrontations at public buildings for viral content and revenue. Participants range from anti-government activists to grifters and people with past negative police encounters. Though they claim to promote accountability and public education, critics say most intentionally act obnoxious, bait officials, skirt rules, and profit from lawsuits. Only a small minority pursue genuine civil-liberties activism.

12/2/2025 5:04:29 PM