Issues

Defense Policy Disinformation Extremism Internet Security & Defense

Regions

United States and Canada
About Related Content

Events

Public Event Wed, March 6, 2024 • 9:00 am ET

The International Women’s Day forum: How women are tackling global challenges
Africa Americas Europe & Eurasia Israel
Online Event Wed, May 18, 2022 • 11:00 am ET

Wartime content moderation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Disinformation Internet Media Russia
Public Event Tue, September 29, 2020 • 3:00 pm ET

2020 Election integrity and foreign interference
Disinformation Elections United States and Canada

All Content

2009 Iranian Protests

Report

Feb 11, 2020

Iranian digital influence efforts: Guerrilla broadcasting for the twenty-first century

By Emerson T. Brooking, Suzanne Kianpour

This brief begins with a discussion of the modern Iranian state’s approach to information and information control. It proceeds to a history of the Iranian Internet. Next, it examines the evolution of Iranian digital influence operations, followed by a discussion of the broader information conflict in which they take place. The brief concludes by considering the future nature and intent of Iran’s clandestine digital activities.

Conflict Disinformation

New Atlanticist

Jan 27, 2020

The potential global impact of the coronavirus outbreak

By David A. Wemer

Beijing “must act" to contain the coronavirus outbreak, Miyeon Oh says, "especially in light of the indirect but potentially massive economic, social, and political impacts of the coronavirus in the region and around the world.” There is growing concern in Beijing as well, Robert A. Manning added, “that if this pandemic is only in its early stages, it could become the straw that broke the camel’s back for an already anemic economy.”

China Coronavirus

In the News

Oct 29, 2019

Emerson Brooking authors an op-ed for The Washington Post on US election interference from Russia

By Emerson T. Brooking

Last week, Facebook revealed details of a new Russian influence operation targeting the 2020 U.S. election. Sticking to the playbook they used in the 2016 presidential election, Russian operatives infiltrated both sides of contentious political debates, seeking to widen the fissures in American society. The operation focused on Instagram and reached roughly 147,000 U.S.-based Instagram users. The efforts concentrated on the swing state of Florida.

Disinformation English
Load More

Emerson T. Brooking is director of strategy and resident senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) of the Atlantic Council Technology Programs. In this capacity, Brooking oversees the center’s efforts to identify, expose, and disrupt foreign information manipulation. He also leads the DFRLab’s work to foster information resilience around the world. Brooking regularly advises US technology companies and national-security entities on issues relating to information security.

From 2022 to 2023, he took leave from the DFRLab to serve as cyber policy advisor within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, where he was an author of the 2023 Department of Defense Cyber Strategy. 

Some of Brooking’s publications include: