Authoritarian regimes and their proxies use social media, other online information platforms, and traditional media to attempt to shape global and domestic narratives; to sow chaos and confusion in democracies; and to undermine democratic processes. Find ASD’s work on the many ways malign actors manipulate information to interfere in democracies, including by spreading disinformation, on this page.
Hamilton Toplines: May 16–22, 2022
Russia Russian officials and state media last week posted more than 800 tweets about Finland and Sweden’s applications for NATO membership, making “NATO” the most frequently used keyword by Kremlin-linked accounts. On May 16, President Vladimir Puti [...]
5 Takeaways from the 2022 French Presidential Election
On April 24, French voters re-elected Emmanuel Macron for a second term as president of France. With the presidential election firmly in the rear-view mirror and with the French parliamentary elections still several weeks away, this piece assesses t [...]
Laura Thornton Discusses How to Strengthen Democracy on Inside Sources with Boyd Matheson
Last year, people around the world were souring on the idea of democracy. But new polling shows surging support for this institution of government. Laura Thornton from the Alliance for Securing Democracy discusses the reasons behind the change in [...]
Who Cares about a Midterm Election? Comparing Russia, Iran, and China’s Electoral Interference from Past to Present
The 2020 presidential election cycle was abnormally long, with chaos, debate about the outcome, and an insurrection before it finally concluded—at least officially—on inauguration day in January 2021. Now just over a year later, the United States mu [...]
Hamilton Toplines: May 9–15, 2022
Russia Russian propagandists last week reacted to Finland and Sweden’s announced bids to join NATO by threatening military retaliation, accusing the two countries of violating international agreements, and highlighting division within NATO. Russia’s [...]
Limits to the “No Limits” Partnership? China’s Pro-Russian Stance in the Face of the Bucha Massacre
Since the war in Ukraine started, Chinese diplomats and state media have attempted to portray their country as a neutral third party interested only in restoring peace to Europe. But that effort has been belied by Beijing’s own messaging, which has [...]
What to Expect from Russia Should Finland and Sweden Join NATO
Finland and Sweden are applying for NATO membership, with both countries drawing a direct link between the Russian military’s unconscionable war against neighboring Ukraine and the need for the formal security guarantees the NATO alliance provides. [...]
Hamilton Toplines: May 2-May 8, 2022
Russia Russian government-affiliated Twitter accounts marked Victory Day, which celebrates the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazis in World War II, by launching a patriotic messaging push across social media. Russian diplomats and state media posted more [...]
Laura Thornton on the DHS Inspector General’s Report and Disinformation Board on Background Briefing
Background Briefing with Ian Masters · The DHS Reports On Trump's 2020 Russia Coverup as Republicans Try to Shut Down the DHS Disinfo Board Then finally we investigate the disconnect between the DHS Inspector General’s report revealing how Trump’s A [...]
Hamilton Toplines: April 25–May 1, 2022
Russia Russian diplomats and state media last week posted 764 tweets that referenced either “gas” or “rubles” as propagandists detailed Europe’s effort to cope with Moscow’s decision to cut gas supplies for Poland and Bulgaria. Russia made the move [...]
Bret Schafer Unpacks Russian and Chinese Disinformation Nexus with Washington Foreign Press Center
This briefing unpacks the Russia-China disinformation nexus, with a focus on the Global South, as well as the countries' increasing information warfare campaigns, within the context of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. [...]
Hamilton Toplines: April 18–24, 2022
Russia Russian diplomats and state media last week posted more than 800 tweets that referenced “Mariupol” or “Azovstal,” which is the name of a steel plant in the city that has become a holdout for Ukrainian soldiers. Kremlin-linked accounts celebra [...]