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.
Bryce Barros, Nathan Kohlenberg, and Etienne Soula Discuss China and Tech in the Global South on China in the Americas
In this episode, Rasheed Griffith talks to Bryce Barros, Nathan Kohlenberg, and Etienne Soula about their report about China’s influence over the digital information environment outside of its borders. Related Reading: China and the Digital Informat [...]
Hamilton Toplines: August 22–28, 2022
Russia Russian state media and diplomats last week tweeted 16,941 times, generating 191,154 retweets and 575,694 likes. Kremlin-affiliated accounts last week barely mentioned a Russian bomb that killed at least 22 Ukrainians and injured 50 more at a [...]
David Levine Assesses the Implications of Voting Laws and Disinformation on US Democracy on Newsy
ASD Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine joined Newsy for a news special on the 2022 US midterms on Sunday, August 28, 2022. David shared his thoughts on the state of US democracy, the implications of new voting laws, and the impact of mis- and d [...]
Hamilton Toplines: August 15–21, 2022
Russia Monitored Russian accounts last week tweeted 16,366 times, generating 161,117 retweets and 518,932 likes. Kremlin-affiliated accounts last week claimed that Ukraine and its “US handlers” were preparing to frame Moscow for an attack on the R [...]
Bryce Barros and Nathan Kohlenberg in The Diplomat: China’s Digital Inroads in the Global South
Earlier this month, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman announced while on a tour of the Pacific Island states that U.S. President Joe Biden “is looking forward to welcoming” Pacific Leaders in September 2022. Although the exact date of thi [...]
Hamilton Toplines: August 8–16, 2022
Russia Monitored Russian accounts tweeted 15,740 times last week, generating 154,030 retweets and 468,791 likes. “Trump” and “FBI” were the fourth and sixth most frequently used key phrases by Russian propagandists on Twitter last week as they criti [...]
Russia’s Biggest Spanish-Language Propaganda Accounts Are Popular But Losing Reach
Overview Russia’s Spanish-language social media accounts have consistently punched above their weight, with follower numbers and engagement totals far outpacing those of Russia’s other external facing messengers. The success of Russia’s Spanish-lang [...]
The Russian Media Account Hitting It Off with Spanish Speakers
Overview Six days after Russia launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine, the EU banned Kremlin-backed media platforms RT and Sputnik from operating inside or directing content at the EU. In the days between Russia’s war in Ukraine (which started [...]
Hamilton Monthly Report: July 2022
This report highlights and analyzes key trends and takeaways from data collected by the Hamilton 2.0 dashboard during the previous month. Unlike ASD’s weekly Hamilton reports, which analyze the main topics and themes promoted by monitored Russian an [...]
Hamilton Toplines: August 1–7, 2022
Russia Monitored Russian accounts sent 16,344 tweets, generating 178,980 retweets and 532,493 likes. Kremlin-linked accounts last week focused on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, calling the trip a provocation, amplifying China’s [...]
Bret Schafer Quoted in The New York Times: How Russian Propaganda Is Reaching Beyond English Speakers
At the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine, Facebook, Twitter, and major social media platforms blocked or limited the reach of Russian state media in the West, and created a patchwork of restrictions across the globe. As a result, Russian propagan [...]
David Salvo Dissects Hungarian Prime Minister Orban’s Speech at CPAC on CSPAN
David Salvo talked about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s remarks at the 2022 CPAC conference. [...]