Journalist Laurie Segall and entrepreneur Paris Hilton have launched a new investigative series titled “Searching for Mr. Deepfakes” on TikTok [1, 2].
The project represents a shift in how investigative journalism is delivered to audiences. By utilizing a short-form platform, the creators are attempting to move away from the traditional hour-long broadcast formats that have long dominated the true-crime genre [1, 2].
Produced by Hilton’s 11:11 Media, the series is designed to build a new model for true-crime investigations [2]. The goal is to demonstrate that serious, high-stakes investigative work can thrive outside of legacy media structures, and traditional documentary frameworks [1, 2].
Segall, a veteran journalist, is partnering with Hilton to explore the complexities of deepfakes and digital deception. The choice of TikTok as the primary distribution channel allows the investigation to reach a younger, digitally native audience that may not engage with standard television documentaries [1, 2].
This approach challenges the existing rules of the true-crime industry by breaking the narrative into smaller, more digestible segments. The creators intend for the series to serve as a proof of concept for how investigative storytelling can evolve in the age of social media [1].
“The series aims to reinvent true-crime storytelling.”
The launch of 'Searching for Mr. Deepfakes' signals a strategic pivot toward 'social-first' journalism. By bypassing traditional networks, 11:11 Media is testing whether the urgency and accessibility of TikTok can maintain the rigor of a professional investigation while capturing a demographic that increasingly views content on mobile devices.
