Tessa Knight
Tessa Knight is a research associate for the Sub-Saharan Africa region at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) based in South Africa. Tessa worked as a news journalist for two South African media companies before joining the DFRLab where she discovered her passion for tracking disinformation and the spread of digital propaganda on the African continent.
As a research associate for DFRLab’s sub-Saharan African research unit, Tessa is committed to increasing awareness around digital propaganda, and working with other researchers, journalists and policy-makers to come up with uniquely African solutions to both local and international disinformation targeting the continent.
February 2021
Facebook removes inauthentic assets linked to Ugandan government
Facebook removed content engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior six days before Uganda’s presidential election.
January 2021
Social media disinformation campaign targets Ugandan presidential election
Facebook takes down pro-government network after investigation inspired by DFRLab research; Twitter also removes suspicious accounts.
December 2020
Pro-government accounts use old images to depict Ugandan protesters as hooligans
Twitter campaign ensured anti-protester hashtag trended in Uganda after protests broke out following arrest of a presidential candidate
