• Research Associate

Beatriz Farrugia

Beatriz Farrugia is a research associate for Brazil at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab).

Farrugia is a data journalist specialized in investigations.  Her research interests include hate speech, political polarization, diplomacy, and large-scale sports events. She is the author of the book 1950: The Cost of a World Cup, an investigation into the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. 

Farrugia was a lecturer at Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado (FAAP) and Universidade Metodista, in Brazil, and University of Derby in the United Kingdom. Prior to that, she worked as an international reporter and editor at the Italian news agency ANSA.

Farrugia is a graduate of Birmingham City University with a master’s degree in data journalism and of the Fundação Getúlio Vargas with a master’s degree in international relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Universidade Metodista.

September 2024

Fake it off: AI-generated Taylor Swift pics spark controversy

by Dina Sadek, Beatriz Farrugia

Viral fake Taylor Swift footage circulated on social media following a fake endorsement posted by Trump and Swift’s real endorsement of Harris
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August 2024

How AI tools fueled online conspiracy theories after Trump assassination attempt

by Beatriz Farrugia

Deepfakes, cheapfakes, and AI-fueled scams spread online following the shooting; in other instances, real footage was dismissed as fake
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May 2024

Regulating the use of AI for Brazilian elections: what’s at stake

by Beatriz Farrugia

Brazil’s implementation of rules regarding AI in upcoming local elections will serve as a major test case 
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