Spotlight: 2025 Canadian election
As Canadians head to the polls in a pivotal snap election, the DFRLab is monitoring the surge in online manipulation threatening democratic discourse. From bot-like activity targeting political leaders to broader concerns about disinformation as an existential threat, our investigations shed light on the evolving information landscape shaping Canada’s 2025 vote.
March 2025
An existential threat: Disinformation ‘single biggest risk’ to Canadian democracy
The DFRLab reviews Canada’s 2025 Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference
April 2025
Bot-like activity targets Canadian political parties and their leaders ahead of election
Canadian federal election subject to spam messaging from automated X accounts.
Explore the pravda network
DFRLab’s groundbreaking investigations , in collaboration with Check First, uncover how the Russian Pravda network leverages cross-platform, multilingual influence operations and manipulates Wikipedia, large language models, and X to amplify pro-Kremlin narratives.
Latest PUBLICATIONS
April 2025
Bot-like activity targets Canadian political parties and their leaders ahead of election
Canadian federal election subject to spam messaging from automated X accounts.
April 2025
Narrative and provocation: What Telegram had to say about the February attack on Chornobyl nuclear plant
Russian media and Telegram channels shifted blame onto Ukraine for the recent attack on the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and amplified narratives of potential nuclear escalation.
April 2025
Russia’s Pravda network in numbers: Introducing the Pravda Dashboard
The Pravda Dashboard reveals how Russia’s global network circumvents sanctions on prohibited content
April 2025
Russia expands its strategic footprint in occupied Abkhazia
The reopening of the decades-closed Sukhumi Babushara Airport and a test flight from Moscow demonstrate Russia’s push for control over occupied Abkhazia
March 2025
How Azerbaijani media and politicians endorse Georgia’s shift away from the West
Politicians and pro-government media in Azerbaijan packages Georgia’s anti-Western rhetoric and political shift for a domestic audience, reinforcing the narrative of Western decline.
March 2025
Cross-platform campaign sows anti-Europe division in Moldova
Campaign utilized a primary Telegram channel and thousands of Facebook accounts to post comments critical of Moldova’s pro-European stance
March 2025
Japan’s technology paradox: the challenge of Chinese disinformation
Japan serves as an important case study to illustrate an unappreciated aspect of fostering information resilience against malign influence
March 2025
An existential threat: Disinformation ‘single biggest risk’ to Canadian democracy
The DFRLab reviews Canada’s 2025 Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference
March 2025
Connecting the other half of humanity is the deal of the century
China is investing billions in global internet infrastructure through its Digital Silk Road Initiative, advancing its interests over the US
March 2025
Cross-platform multilingual campaign amplifies biolabs conspiracy targeting US and Armenia
Campaign exploits long-running false and misleading claims purporting US bioweapons-related activity in Europe and elsewhere
March 2025
Russia-linked Pravda network cited on Wikipedia, LLMs, and X
Pravda network content pollutes sources on multiple platforms, sparking worries of false claims and sanctioned content reaching global audiences
March 2025
Telegram network seeks to manipulate Moldova’s local political discourse
Network of automated Telegram channels using coordinated disinformation tactics appears to be Russian in origin
February 2025
Cross-platform, multilingual Russian operations promote pro-Kremlin content
The Russian influence operations Doppelganger and Operation Undercut utilized several tactics to spread content on X, TikTok, 9gag, and Americas Best Pics and Videos
February 2025
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and cycles of nuclear hysteria
Official channels, pro-Russian bloggers, and networks of inauthentic social media accounts claim that Ukraine is preparing to attack nuclear power facilities
February 2025
Scammers impersonated Navalny team, news outlets to promote fake stories and lure victims
Scammers activated dormant pages to defraud a Russian-speaking audience following Alexei Navalny’s death in February 2024
February 2025
Ukrainian biolabs: the never-ending narrative
The narrative about US-funded biolabs in Ukraine has been a regular weapon in the propagandist arsenal for over a decade. Now, it is seeking new avenues for growth
February 2025
Russia’s so-called “Pravda” network expands worldwide
The network formerly known as Portal Kombat added new domains and expanded its geographic reach over the last year
February 2025
What the TikTok ban and Xiaohongshu’s brief popularity reveal about US-China relations and their tech sectors
Influx of US users to RedNote amid TikTok ban limbo presents propaganda opportunities and censorship challenges for China
Upcoming & Recent Events
Governing emerging technology in Africa
Join the Atlantic Council’s Democracy + Tech Initiative on March 10 at 9:00 am ET for the launch of Emerging technology policies and democracy in Africa: South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zambia in focus
Using data for accountability: Lessons learned from the Oversight Board’s impact
In this discussion, Oversight Board Head of Data & Implementation and DFRLab Non-Resident Fellow Naomi Shiffman presents lessons learned from the Board’s work.
Undermining Ukraine: How Russia widened global information operations in 2023
The launch of the DFRLab’s latest report investigating pro-Kremlin propaganda and disinformation tools and narratives worldwide.
How Ukraine fights Russian disinformation: Beehive vs mammoth
A discussion led by report co-authors Jakub Kalenský and Roman Osadchuk about Ukraine’s groundbreaking strategies against Russian disinformation.
Elections Everywhere All at Once
An expert conversation on the implications of the 83 elections occurring in 78 countries in 2024.
Deconstructing the Israel-Hamas disinformation war
A two-panel discussion on how disinformation, propaganda, and social media policies have shaped perception of the crisis.
Protecting point-to-point messaging apps: Understanding Telegram, WeChat, and WhatsApp
The DFRLab hosts the launch of its newest report on the dynamics of point-to-point messaging apps with an expert conversation on how policymakers and platforms can mitigate behavior infringing terms of usage on these apps.
Democracy + Tech Initiative
The Democracy + Tech Initiative creates policy practices that align global stakeholders toward tech and governance that reinforces, rather than undermines, open societies.
Cyber Statecraft Initiative
The Cyber Statecraft Initiative works at the nexus of geopolitics and cybersecurity to craft strategies to better inform and secure users of technology.
Digital Sherlocks Training Program
Combatting disinformation can’t be done alone; ultimately it requires a growing movement of individuals taking the lead around the world and in their own communities. It’s these #DigitalSherlocks who are at the heart of our movement.
About DFRLab
The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research leads the study of information to promote transparency and accountability online and around the world.
