Jump to content

Lauren Chen: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Line 58: Line 58:
[[Category:YouTube channels closed in 2024]]
[[Category:YouTube channels closed in 2024]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Revision as of 13:23, 6 September 2024

Lauren Chen
Chen in 2022
Personal information
Born
Lauren Yu Sum Tam
NationalityCanadian
SpouseLiam Donovan
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2016–2024
Subscribers572 thousand[1]
(September 2024)
Total views100,717,306[1]
(September 2024)
Channel is now suspended

Lauren Chen (born Lauren Yu Sum Tam)[2] is a Canadian conservative[3][4] political commentator and former YouTube personality. She has been notably involved with Glenn Beck's BlazeTV[5][6][7][8] and Turning Point USA.[9][10][11][12] She has also contributed opinion pieces to Russian-backed RT.[13][14][15] Her husband, Liam Donovan, is the president of Tenet Media, a company they co-founded.

Career

Chen gained prominence through her (now suspended) YouTube channel, "Roaming Millennial," where she discussed various cultural and political issues from a conservative perspective.[16][17] She later transitioned to hosting a show on BlazeTV[18][19][20] and contributed to Turning Point USA, an American conservative nonprofit organization. Her commentary typically focuses on topics like immigration, inflation, and other U.S. domestic issues.[21]

Tenet Media

Chen co-founded Tenet Media with her husband, Liam Donovan.[22][23][24][25] A federal indictment unsealed in September 2024 accused Tenet Media of receiving funding and direction from a covert operation funded by Russia to disseminate pro-Russian propaganda within the United States.[26][27][28] The indictment, filed in the Southern District of New York, alleged that Russian state-controlled media company RT funneled nearly $10 million to Tenet Media to create and distribute content favorable to Russian interests, aimed at amplifying U.S. domestic divisions. The indictment specifically named Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, employees of RT, as the main operatives behind the funding.[29][30]

The Justice Department claimed that Tenet Media, referred to as "US Company 1" in the indictment, produced numerous videos that supported Russia's geopolitical aims and received significant views on platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok.[16][31] These activities were part of broader Russian efforts to influence U.S. public opinion ahead of elections.[16] Although the indictment suggested that not all individuals affiliated with Tenet were aware of the source of funding, it highlighted that founders, including Chen, were cognizant of their financial backers and actively concealed this information.[30][31]

Response and public statements

Following the indictment's public release, Tenet Media and the involved commentators, including Chen, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Other influencers associated with Tenet Media, such as Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin, stated that they were unaware of the company's connections to Russian funding and declared themselves victims of the alleged scheme.[29][30][32]

In response, BlazeTV officially fired her.[33][34] Her channels, as well as Tenet Media's were taken down by YouTube.[35][36]

References

  1. ^ a b "About YouTube channel". YouTube.
  2. ^ Mealins, Evan (September 4, 2024). "What to know about Tenet Media, Tennessee company linked to Russian propagandists". Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ Asir F. "Man threatening Lauren Chen for being against reparations saying she will be "dealt with"". MSN. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  4. ^ Lavine, Owen (September 5, 2024). "DOJ Bombshell Alleges MAGA Media Group Is Backed by Russian Money". The Daily Beast. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  5. ^ Shugerman, Emily (June 11, 2024). "This Sundress Is Breaking the Internet—and Right-Wing Minds". The Daily Beast. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  6. ^ "Right-wing influencers were duped to work for covert Russian influence operation, US says". AP News. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  7. ^ Murray, Conor. "'Barbie' Largely Praised For Feminist Themes—But Draws Anger From The Anti-Woke". Forbes. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Writer, Andrew Stanton Weekend Staff (May 2, 2024). "Republicans voting for bill that could make "Bible illegal" outrages MAGA". Newsweek. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "Right-wingers start to turn on this pro-Trump propaganda group". MSNBC.com. October 18, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  10. ^ Eckstein, Griffin (September 4, 2024). "Right-wing media group allegedly took $10 million in Russian financing: DOJ indictment". Salon. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  11. ^ "Russian money was funneled to right-wing creators through a pro-Trump media outlet: prosecutors". NBC News. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  12. ^ Shelby Talcott and David Weigel (October 17, 2023). "Conservative influencers battle over Israel, 'America First,' and antisemitism after Hamas attack". Semafor.
  13. ^ "Russian money was funneled to right-wing creators through a pro-Trump media outlet, prosecutors say". Yahoo News. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  14. ^ Shannon Bond , Jude Joffe-Block, Caitlin Thompson (September 5, 2024). "How Russian operatives covertly hired U.S. influencers to create viral videos". NPR.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Christenson, Josh (September 5, 2024). "'Secret' Russian influence campaign paid $10M to prop up right-wing US commentators: indictment". New York Post. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c David Nakamura, Catherine Belton and Will Sommer (September 4, 2024). "Justice Dept. charges two Russian media operatives in alleged scheme". The Washington Post.
  17. ^ Mealins, Evan. "What to know about Tenet Media, Tennessee company linked to Russian propagandists". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  18. ^ "Lauren Chen on why the Golden Globes was miserable to watch | Blaze Media". February 9, 2024. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  19. ^ "New Barbie Movie is TOXIC feminism to a tee - TheBlaze". October 1, 2023. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  20. ^ "Right-wing media group fires contributor after she allegedly took Russian cash - Raw Story". www.rawstory.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  21. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  22. ^ Becket, Stefan; Quinn, Melissa (September 5, 2024). "U.S. says Russia funded media company that paid right-wing influencers millions for videos - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  23. ^ "Right-Wing Influencers Were Duped to Work for Covert Russian Influence Operation, US Says". US News And World Report.
  24. ^ Schmunk, Rhianna (September 4, 2024). "U.S. accuses Russia of using unwitting influencers, fake news sites to sway presidential election". CBC.
  25. ^ "Is This Right-Wing Media Platform the Product of a $10 Million Russian Plot?". www.msn.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  26. ^ "Well-known right-wing influencers duped to work for covert Russian operation, U.S. prosecutors say". PBS News. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  27. ^ "Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool Exposed as Working For Alleged Russian Influence Operation in New DOJ Indictment". Mediaite. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  28. ^ "Tenet Media: All about 'Russia-funded' US media company linked to right-wing influencers - CNBC TV18". CNBCTV18. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  29. ^ a b Merlan, Anna. "Federal prosecutors charge a conservative media company took millions in Kremlin cash". Mother Jones. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  30. ^ a b c Couts, Andrew. "Right-Wing Influencer Network Tenet Media Allegedly Spread Russian Disinformation". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  31. ^ a b Oliver, Ashley (September 4, 2024). "Two Russians indicted and internet domains seized in DOJ election interference inquiry - Washington Examiner". Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  32. ^ Kamp, Zachary Cohen, Donie O'Sullivan, Evan Perez, Sean Lyngaas, Majlie de Puy (September 4, 2024). "DOJ alleges Russia funded US media company linked to right-wing social media stars | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved September 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ Smith, Ben (September 5, 2024). "Blaze fires contributor linked to alleged Russian operation". Semafor.
  34. ^ Korach, Natalie (September 5, 2024). "Blaze Fires YouTube Contributor Linked to Alleged Russian Influence Campaign". TheWrap. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  35. ^ Vynck, Gerrit De (September 6, 2024). "YouTube takes down right-wing channels linked to DOJ Russia indictments". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  36. ^ "YouTube terminating Tenet Media channel after US indictment". Reuters.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lauren_Chen&oldid=1244334286"