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Ask the Platforms to Examine PRETEND: A Call to Action from David McClam

A microphone does not make a claim true, and calling a production “investigative journalism” does not put its reporting beyond scrutiny. Javier Leiva asks audiences to examine other people’s credibility through PRETEND. His own reporting and public conduct deserve that same examination, including serious consideration of documented inaccuracies and complaints about targeted harassment.

I am asking anyone who has personally reviewed his content and identified a specific problem to take a practical step: submit the evidence to the platform carrying that content and request a review. If you believe a statement is false, show what was said and provide the record that contradicts it. If you believe a post encourages harassment, preserve the actual language and explain the conduct you are reporting.

You do not have to be a journalist or have a large following to raise a well-supported concern. You do need to be accurate, specific, and willing to distinguish what you can prove from what you believe.

Here are the channels you can use:

Platform
Where to write or file a complaint
Apple Podcasts
Open the PRETEND show page, select the three-dot menu, and choose Report a Concern. You can also use Apple’s podcast complaint form, which includes fields for the episode and timestamp.
Spotify
Use the reporting form linked from Spotify’s Safety and Privacy Center. Include the episode link and the precise passage you want reviewed. Anyone with an email address can submit a report, even without a Spotify account.
Megaphone, the listed podcast host
PRETEND’s publicly listed RSS feed points to Megaphone. Its published support email is support-megaphone@spotify.com. This is a general support address; ask that your documented concern be routed to the appropriate content-policy team, and include the episode and feed links.
YouTube
Use More → Report on the specific video or comment. Select the reason that accurately matches the content and provide timestamps where available. See YouTube’s reporting instructions and harassment policy.
Facebook and Instagram
Use the built-in reporting option on the specific post, reel, or comment. Identify the content you believe violates the rules and choose the applicable category. Meta’s community guidance directs users to these reporting tools.
TikTok
On the relevant post, tap Share or press and hold, then choose Report and select the applicable reason. Follow TikTok’s reporting instructions.
Patreon
On the creator’s page or the relevant post, use the three-dot menu to report it. Patreon asks for supporting evidence, including links, screenshots, and timestamps. Follow Patreon’s reporting instructions.
Before submitting anything, put together a complaint a reviewer can actually evaluate. Include the episode or post title, its direct link, the publication date, the exact statement, and the timestamp or screenshot. Where you are challenging accuracy, attach the relevant original record and identify the page or passage that supports your correction.

Be precise about what the evidence establishes. For example, a document showing that someone filed an application does not, by itself, establish that the application was approved. An allegation in a complaint is not a court’s finding. If a recording or document has been quoted selectively, provide enough surrounding context for the reviewer to assess whether its meaning changed. These are examples of issues to check, not findings about a particular PRETEND episode.

A factual dispute and a harassment complaint also require different explanations. For an accuracy complaint, identify the contradiction. For a harassment complaint, identify the specific behavior—such as a threat, disclosure of private information, or an instruction to target someone—and explain how it relates to the platform’s rules. A disputed statement does not automatically qualify for removal, and criticism alone does not establish harassment.

You can adapt the following examples when your evidence supports them. The bracketed sections must be replaced with facts you have checked.

I am requesting a review of PRETEND, hosted by Javier Leiva, specifically [episode title and URL]. At [timestamp], the speaker states “[exact quotation].” The attached [document title, date, and page] states [relevant fact], which contradicts the claim in this specific respect: [brief explanation]. Please assess this content under your applicable policies and advise whether a correction or other action is appropriate.
For a complaint concerning possible harassment:

I am reporting [post or video URL], published on [date], for review under your harassment policy. At [timestamp or location], the account states “[exact quotation]” and [describe the specific conduct]. My concern is [explain the apparent policy violation]. I have included the surrounding context and supporting screenshots. Please review the content and take the action warranted by your rules.
Keep a copy of your submission and any reference number you receive. If the platform offers an appeal, use it to explain what evidence was overlooked or provide relevant new information. YouTube expressly states that repeated reporting will not cause removal when reviewers find no violation, so the strength of the evidence matters more than the volume of complaints.

Make your own assessment and submit only complaints you can support. Avoid duplicate submissions, personal attacks, and claims about conduct you have not witnessed or verified. If a troubling comment was written by a listener, identify that listener’s conduct accurately; do not attribute it to the host without evidence connecting him to it. Patreon specifically distinguishes a creator’s actions from a fan’s actions unless the creator incited the behavior.

I want the platforms carrying PRETEND to examine credible complaints with the seriousness they deserve. People discussed in true crime media deserve accurate reporting, and audiences deserve to know when a claim does not withstand scrutiny. If you have the evidence, preserve it, submit it through the proper channel, and ask for an answer grounded in the record.

—David McClam