Research Tools

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
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony before talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, April 3, 2018. (Source: Reuters/Thomas Peter)

Wed, Nov 9, 2022

China spearheads social media campaign to attack civil society in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party targets opposition figures with Chinese government assistance.

by Kenton Thibaut

Africa China
A man stands next to a building damaged by shelling during border clashes with Azerbaijan in the town of Jermuk, Armenia, September 15, 2022.

Mon, Nov 7, 2022

How the September 2022 Azerbaijan-Armenia clashes played out online

Inorganic Twitter activity, graphic Telegram footage of war crimes, and TikTok bans all surfaced in wake of recent clashes.

by Givi Gigitashvili, Esteban Ponce de León

Armenia Azerbaijan
Facebook pages and groups involved in the scheme would post inspiring stories, like the celebration of a Ukrainian soldier’s birthday (left), and replace it with clickbait news coverage (right) once the original post garnered a critical mass of engagement.

Wed, Nov 2, 2022

Facebook pages used bait-and-switch to exploit sympathies for Ukraine war

DFRLab found emotionally charged Facebook posts about the Ukraine war were later edited to promote clickbait articles.

by Roman Osadchuk

Armenia Caucasus
A man walks by graffiti of the letter Z in St. Petersburg, March 4, 2022. The pro-war symbol is prominently featured on two of the ten most popular political Telegram channels in Russia.

Fri, Oct 21, 2022

What Russia reads on Telegram

Nine out of the top ten political Telegram channels in Russia spread Kremlin pro-war propaganda

by Eto Buziashvili

Disinformation Electorate
A person wearing Guy Fawkes mask, attends a solidarity protest for Mahsa Amini in Washington DC on October 1, 2022.

Thu, Oct 13, 2022

Analysis: Why Iranian protesters are embracing Anonymous

The decentralized hacker movement has vowed to free the people of Iran, mirroring chants of protesters on the street

by Simin Kargar

Civil Society Electorate
Ceremony to declare Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian territories held in Moscow

Fri, Sep 30, 2022

Russian War Report: Putin illegally annexes Ukrainian territory

On September 30, Russian President Putin officially annexed four Ukrainian oblasts, incorporating them into Russia. The announcement was met with swift global condemnation.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Polish MP Grzegorz Braun, second from the left, at the launch of a political initiative in Rzeszow, Poland, July 25, 2022. Braun’s Twitter account was among a handful of authentic accounts that sought to amplify the #StopUkrainizacjiPolski hashtag, which reached Poland’s Trending list largely through inauthentic amplification. (Source: Reuters, Artur Widak/NurPhoto)

Tue, Aug 30, 2022

Twitter campaign pushes anti-Ukraine hashtag into Poland’s trending list

Largely inauthentic campaign pushed #StopUkrainizacjiPolski to the top of Poland’s trending list over the course of four days.

by Givi Gigitashvili

Brigading Conflict
Gustavo Petro receives the presidential sash during his swearing-in ceremony in Bogota, August 7, 2022. Petro was among several candidates targeted by so-called “disinformation for hire” campaigns. (Source: REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez)

Thu, Aug 11, 2022

Colombian PR firms used Facebook ads to spread disinfo on presidential candidates

Facebook ads, websites, and fringe media spread disinformation about several candidates, including President Gustavo Petro.

by Daniel Suárez Pérez

Americas Colombia

Fri, Jul 29, 2022

Russian War Report: Russia minimizes Ukrainian damage of strategic bridge in Kherson

During a video speech on July 27, Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian military had disabled the Antonovsky bridge in Kherson to the point that was no longer usable by occupying Russian forces. The bridge has been targeted by Ukrainian forces for more than a week. While it remains standing, it has been hit multiple times by high-precision HIMARS munitions provided by the US.  

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict Crisis Management

Fri, Jul 22, 2022

Russia War Report: Russia accuses Ukraine of creating ‘monster’ troops in biolabs

Russian officials are spreading the newest iteration of the conspiracy that suggests the United States is running secret biolabs in Ukraine, this time suggesting that Ukraine has created experimental “monster” troops.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Conflict Crisis Management

Wed, Jul 20, 2022

Twitter campaign targeting detained Indian activist based on misleading tweet

Teesta Setalvad, arrested for probing Modi’s role in 2002 Gujarat riots, targeted online by BJP supporters and other Hindu nationalists.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Civil Society Human Rights