Research Methods

Thu, Nov 14, 2024

Pro-Hezbollah accounts orchestrated digital smear campaign against Lebanese journalists

The X campaign sought to discredit five Lebanese media workers with edited media, gender-based violence, and threats

by Ali Chenrose, Jad Hani, Jad Safwan

Brigading Conflict
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, Jun 3, 2024

Tailored Russian disinformation targets Polish farmer protests

Kremlin-backed actors attempt to sow division between Poland and Ukraine

by Givi Gigitashvili

Conflict CrowdTangle

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, Mar 26, 2024

Suspicious Facebook assets amplify pro-Kremlin Bulgarian ‘mushroom’ websites

More than one hundred Facebook assets promoted links to external websites sharing pro-Kremlin propaganda in Bulgaria

by Sopo Gelava

Bulgaria CrowdTangle
Putin and Gutul meet in Sochi

Tue, Mar 19, 2024

Unpacking the Kremlin media blitz surrounding Gagauzia leader’s Russia visit

Eugenia Gutul’s meeting with Vladimir Putin drives Kremlin news cycle positioning Russia as "protector" of Gagauzia and Moldova as its "oppressor"

by Victoria Olari, Ani Mejlumyan

Moldova Narrative Analysis

Wed, Feb 21, 2024

Arms sale claim heightened tensions ahead of 2023 Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks

Online narratives claimed Iran or Russia might exploit French weapons that were allegedly bound for Armenia

by Ani Mejlumyan, Valentin Châtelet

Armenia Azerbaijan

Tue, Feb 20, 2024

French prime minister faces onslaught of online attacks

Investment scam promoted via Meta Ads, AI-fueled smear campaigns on X, and a Russian-led disinformation operation, and ignite a social media frenzy around Gabriel Attal

by Valentin Châtelet

Advertising Artificial Intelligence
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sign bilateral documents in Astana, Kazakhstan November 9, 2023. (Source: Sputnik/Konstantin Zavrazhin/Pool via Reuters)

Thu, Feb 8, 2024

Russian milbloggers falsely accuse Kazakhstan of opening a NATO military facility

Russian military bloggers threatened the Central Asian nation after it opened a new conference hall at a training center for UN peacekeepers, falsely labeling it as a "NATO center"

by Eto Buziashvili

Asia Central Asia

Thu, Feb 8, 2024

Pro-Kremlin campaign promotes “anti-Maidan” movement in Georgia

Georgian far-right party Alt-Info conducted a cross-platform social media campaign claiming the West was fomenting a coup against the country

by Sopo Gelava

Conflict Disinformation