Latest PUBLICATIONS
September 2024
Explainer: the Russian influence operations targeting the 2024 US elections
The September 2024 deplatforming of Operation Doppelganger demonstrates how US voters are being targeted by Russian influence operations
September 2024
Atlantic Council names Mark Scott as Senior Resident Fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab’s Democracy + Tech Initiative.
WASHINGTON DC — The Atlantic Council
September 2024
Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Data and Methodology
Learn more about the methodology and dataset behind Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Mapping the Global Spyware Market and its Threats to National Security and Human Rights
September 2024
Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Mapping the Global Spyware Market and its Threats to National Security and Human Rights
The Mythical Beasts project pulls back the curtain on the connections between 435 entities across forty-two countries in the global spyware market.
September 2024
Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them
Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Mapping the Global Spyware Market and its Threats to National Security and Human Rights is concerned with the commercial market for spyware and provides data on market participants.
August 2024
Pro-Russia, pro-Wagner activity surges following Mali and Wagner forces’ defeat in battle
An inauthentic network of YouTube channels pushed pro-AES and anti-Ukraine narratives after the Tinzaouaten confrontation
August 2024
TikTok accounts target West Africa with AI-generated content promoting Putin and regional leaders
TikTok accounts with thousands of followers spread pro-Russia and anti-France narratives
August 2024
How AI tools fueled online conspiracy theories after Trump assassination attempt
Deepfakes, cheapfakes, and AI-fueled scams spread online following the shooting; in other instances, real footage was dismissed as fake
August 2024
AI in Cyber and Software Security: What’s Driving Opportunities and Risks?
This issue brief discusses the drivers of evolving risks and opportunities presented by generative artificial intelligence (GAI), particularly in cybersecurity, while acknowledging the broader implications for policymakers and for national security.
August 2024
Russia uses video games in Africa to spread anti-Western propaganda
A Hearts of Iron IV mod exemplifies how video games can become propaganda tools
August 2024
Hezbollah videos document usage of drones and weapons systems
Recent Hezbollah propaganda videos show surveillance drones monitoring sensitive Israeli sites, use of anti-tank guided missiles
August 2024
Pro-Russian Facebook pages spread anti-French, anti-UN content in West Africa
Network of inauthentic pro-Russian pages spread false claims targeting elections, France, and the UN peacekeeping mission in CAR
August 2024
Russia-linked operations target Paris 2024 Olympics
Cross-platform efforts denigrated France’s handling of the games and fomented fear of a potential terrorist attack
August 2024
China deployed anti-US narratives in chaos following Trump assassination attempt
Chinese messaging on state media and social media worked to position itself at a volatile moment in domestic US politics
July 2024
Lessons learned from South Africa’s 2024 elections
Independent media and civil society worked overtime to mitigate the spread of disinformation, while generative AI played only a limited role
July 2024
Inauthentic Chinese X accounts amplifying Trump shooting and Biden withdrawal conspiracy theories
Spreading false and misleading anti-US narratives, the network highly resembles operation known as Spamouflage Dragon
July 2024
Fringe YouTube channels promote pro-Kremlin narratives in Africa
Channels attracted millions of views and hundreds of thousands of subscribers by using anti-Western content directed at African audiences
July 2024
Russia’s Digital Tech Isolationism: Domestic Innovation, Digital Fragmentation, and the Kremlin’s Push to Replace Western Digital Technology
Russia’s technological isolation is both a reality and a desired goal for Moscow. This piece explores the impacts of this phenomenon and offers recommendations for how to deal with that evolving digital ecosystem.
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Upcoming & Recent Events
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.
