On Monday, April 15, Four Corners on ABC will delve into the story behind one of America’s most significant national security leaks, bringing viewers an in-depth look at the young man at the centre of it all and the online platform that enabled it.
The episode, titled “The Discord Leaks,” is a collaboration between PBS Frontline and The Washington Post, who conducted a joint investigation. It exposes the inner circle of a private Discord server called “Thug Shaker Central,” led by 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
Teixeira, who went by the moniker “OG,” shared hundreds of classified defence documents with this small group, which largely consisted of teenage boys united by an interest in military gear and video games. The documents contained sensitive information on various topics, including the Russia-Ukraine war, China’s spy drones, and North Korea’s nuclear activities.
Reporters from The Washington Post raise important questions about Teixeira’s motivations, the failure to stop him, and the role of online platforms like Discord in enabling the spread of such leaks.
The episode will also explore the impact of the leaks, which caught the attention of the Pentagon and sparked a manhunt for Teixeira. It will examine how the leak exposed not only US intelligence but also the presence of racist and antisemitic content within the group.
Four Corners: The Discord Leaks airs on ABC at 8:30 pm on Monday, April 15, 2024.
