Influencers descend on day cares across the U.S. after Minnesota fraud claims

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Jan. 4, 2026, 5:30 AM EST


A social media frenzy that began in Minnesota over allegations of day care fraud has rippled into at least seven other states over the past week, as conservative journalists and right-wing influencers have embraced the idea that they should investigate state-subsidized child care centers, especially those run by local people of Somali descent.

In the days since Christmas, conservative content creators have been showing up at day care centers from Ohio to Washington state, recording videos of themselves trying to interview employees and expressing suspicion over whether the centers are legitimate businesses. Like Minnesota, Ohio and Washington also have significant Somali populations.

NBC News viewed similar videos on social media investigating day care centers in Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Pennsylvania. Many of the people making the videos are affiliated with small conservative websites or have ties to political groups. The clips have been posted to X, where some have racked up millions of views and praise from viewers, with help from a network of prominent right-wing influencers on the platform who share and reuse the content.

The videos have sparked a national debate about the tactics of right-wing media figures, with some Republicans praising the conservative creators for spotting potential red flags, while some Democrats and immigrant advocates warn that the confrontational tactics amount to harassment. Day care center operators — in particular, many people of Somali descent who have not been charged with any crime — are caught in the middle.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/influencers-target-day-cares-fraud-claims-somalis-rcna251661

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A whole new generation of RW incel James O'Keefes, now armed with "AI" to magnify their fakery.

[Lovie777]

1. Meanwhile upending the economy.....

Majority of workers need daycare to care for their children while holding down a job.

RWers are again hurting, damaging financially fellow Americans. They hate the USA😠

[mwmisses4289]

2. Effing idgits!

Are they copying the first idgits tactics? Just showing up and expecting to film kids and staff? How many of these idgits even have kids of daycare age? Damn, these people are fucking stupid! Bloody hell, even if you are considering a particular daycare, you still have to make an appointment to view it!
Bloody effing hell!

Edited to add: how many of those "millions" of views of praise and thumbs up are bots or non u.s. citizens, huh?

[groundloop]

7. They need to be arrested. They're idiots for messing with people's kids.

[DBoon]

16. There is a stronger word than "idiots" for people obsessed with small children

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. Ya know... back in the day...

I was an actor. I was surrounded by ego and delusion all the time.

There were even a few that would act as those slimeballs are acting.

But today, we have a generation of 'influencers' who are literally 'whores for clicks'. They have renounced their ethics and their humanity for a few dollars and some groupies. That type will do anything to get attention.

ANYTHING.

So, we need to be vigilant and we need to be ruthless in our ridicule and exposure of anyone who is playing this game to get attention while literally damaging the social contract in the name of a few clicks.

Which is 99% of them.

[Delphinus]

18. I know none, but

whores for clicks describes so many of them (don't want to use a broad brush).

[OldBaldy1701E]

19. They cannot survive without clicks.

They are all guilty of doing whatever it takes to get them.

But, some... their idea is to follow the old adage 'Violence/sex sells!' and they will create some if they cannot find any.

Those are the ones who are just a disgrace to the species and need to be smacked down as hard as we can (in a social sense).

Manners... maketh... human! (Slight paraphrase here to make it more relevant.)

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Top AI search in this space this morning

"how to expose, conquer and defeat fake investigators invading day care centers and accusing people of fake crimes to suit the investigators' political agenda"

Seriously, that yields a long and detailed strategy.

[Timeflyer]

5. Recalls the Satanic Panic/Day Care Sex Abuse hysteria of the 1980s.

[underpants]

8. Yes. Saving children (not their focus) is a centuries old rallying cry

I heard an NOR report in this a few years ago during the rise of QAnon. People will throw their whole lives into a perceived threat to kids, from supposed demonic threats in the Middle Ages to rock lyrics to abortion. Geraldo did a special on it back when he was (usually) an investigative reporter. It’s still one of the highest rated network news specials and a go to time filler for local news on slow news days.

[tonekat]

6. You know how to stop this?

With a rifle butt to the faces of these "influencers".

[Easterncedar]

9. See Wonkette for Marcie Jones's take on it

https://open.substack.com/pub/wonkette/p/minnesota-day-care-scandal-a-wonksplainer?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

I am a great fan of Wonkette

[mwmisses4289]

10. Ok, wait...the original idgit shows up to a daycare on the day after christmas

(Friday Dec 26), when presumably it is closed for the holiday and claims it is not operating? Ye gods, how much more stupid can you get?!?

Sorry if I seem a little confused about this. First stories I heard said the daycare was open and he tried to bully his way in, now other stories are implying it was closed for the holiday and the idjit is claiming it was fake/not operating because it was closed.

[mopinko]

11. yeah. timing seems sus.

[Callie1979]

15. Thats the point; show up when no one is there, claim fraud.

He probably doesnt mention its the day after Christmas & his followers wont ask

[mopinko]

12. 'millions of views and praise from viewers' ummm

do these idiots not know how many of them r bots?

[travelingthrulife]

14. Why can't we stop bots? It's like our LEO never being able to trace threatening calls.

[mopinko]

17. cuz the guy who runs x loves them.

probably runs many of them.
also, most r outside the u.s. i help out on a local fb page and the number of posts from indonesia and pakistan, pretending to b from here, is mind boggling.
when ppl’s fb page get hijacked, it’s likely these guys.

[travelingthrulife]

13. Will they also be going to the homes of rich people who took these loans

and didn't pay them back?