Network Mapping

Generative art showing paper airplanes flying over Red Square in Moscow.

Mon, Jun 10, 2024

Another battlefield: Telegram as a digital front in Russia’s war against Ukraine

In this new report, the DFRLab investigates the role of Telegram in Russia since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine

Conflict Disinformation

Mon, Apr 22, 2024

Markets Matter: A Glance into the Spyware Industry

The Intellexa Consortium is a complex web of holding companies and vendors for spyware and related services. The Consortium represents a compelling example of spyware vendors in the context of the market in which they operate—one which helps facilitate the commercial sale of software driving both human rights and national security risk.

by Jen Roberts, Trey Herr, Emma Taylor, Nitansha Bansal

Civil Society Cybersecurity

Wed, Apr 3, 2024

Kremlin-linked Telegram channels seed anti-Ukraine and anti-West narratives in Bulgaria

Pro-Kremlin Bulgarian Telegram channels amplify disinformation seeded by Kremlin-run channels

by Eto Buziashvili, Sayyara Mammadova

Bulgaria Conflict

Thu, Mar 28, 2024

Inauthentic campaign amplifying Islamophobic content targeting Canadians

Accounts used AI-generated photos and inauthentic accounts to amplify Islamophobic account claiming to be a new Canadian nonprofit

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Facebook

Tue, Oct 3, 2023

Georgian travel company behind inauthentic network promotes health-related clickbait content

Inauthentic network disseminated unreliable health-related content to promote travel company and increase sales

by Sopo Gelava, Jean le Roux

Advertising Disinformation
Guatemala City, Guatemala.- In the photos taken on August 14, 2023, authorities are packing electoral materials and documents that will be used on August 20 for the second round. The elections will see a former first lady compete against the son of a former president. Unemployment, corruption and the high cost of living are on voters' minds as they head to the polls on August 20.

Thu, Aug 17, 2023

Far-right Twitter network targets Guatemala’s presidential election

Twitter network backed Guatemala’s Public Ministry amidst attempts to suspend political party Movimiento Semilla

by Esteban Ponce de León

Americas Elections
People gather during a protest held by supporters of Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro at the Army headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 15, 2022. The sign reads: “SOS Army Forces.” (Source: REUTERS/Pilar Olivares)

Fri, Nov 18, 2022

Election fraud narratives surge on Brazilian Twitter following Bolsonaro defeat

#BrazilWasStolen hashtag spreads across Twitter and other platforms.

by Esteban Ponce de León

Brazil Disinformation
(Source: Iria Puyosa/DFRLab via Gephi)

Wed, Mar 23, 2022

Understanding Telegram’s ecosystem of far-right channels in the US

DFRLab analysis of nearly 6,000 Telegram channels identified distinct “communities” ranging from MAGA supporters to QAnon

by Iria Puyosa, Esteban Ponce de León

Extremism Gephi
A network map of tweets containing the phrase #istandwithputin or istandwithputin between February 23, 2022 and March 4, 2022.

Thu, Mar 10, 2022

IStandWithPutin hashtag trends amid dubious amplification efforts

Over the week of February 28, 2022, the hashtag #IStandWithPutin trended in several regions, but a deeper look at the origin and amplification of the hashtag suggested this support was artificial.

by Jean le Roux

Africa Botnets