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Twitter

Nov 20, 2020

Nigerian government-aligned Twitter network targets #EndSARS protests

By Jean le Roux

Influencer and sockpuppet Twitter networks amplifying pro-government content mount campaign targeting activists (Source:@jean_leroux/DFRLab via Photoshop and Gephi) Two networks of Nigerian Twitter accounts are amplifying pro-government content and appear to be staging an online suppression campaign to delegitimize the nationwide #EndSARS protests against police brutality. From at least late October, 2020, these two networks –comprising a […]

Social Media

Uncategorized

Oct 22, 2020

Nigerian army dismisses Lekki Toll Gate massacre as “fake news”

By Jean le Roux

Army labeled reports of the October 20 fatal shooting of protesters as fake, despite evidence to the contrary Note: this story contains links to graphic footage. The Nigerian Army took to Twitter on October 21, 2020 to deny reports that soldiers opened fire against peaceful protestors during an incident the previous day. Despite eyewitness accounts, […]

Social Media

Issue briefs and reports

Jun 5, 2020

Operation Carthage: How a Tunisian company conducted influence operations in African presidential elections

By Andy Carvin, Luiza Bandeira, Graham Brookie, Iain Robertson, Nika Aleksejeva, Alyssa Kann, Kanishk Karan, Ayushman Kaul, Tessa Knight, Jean le Roux, Roman Osadchik, Esteban Ponce de Leon

A Tunisia-based company operated a sophisticated digital campaign involving multiple social media platforms and websites in an attempt to influence the country’s 2019 presidential election, as well as other recent elections in Africa. In an exclusive investigation that began in September 2019, the DFRLab uncovered dozens of online assets with connections to Tunisian digital communications firm UReputation. On June 5, 2020, after conducting its own investigation, Facebook announced it had taken down more than 900 assets affiliated with the UReputation operation, including 182 user accounts, 446 pages, and 96 groups, as well as 209 Instagram accounts. The operation also involved the publication of multiple Francophone websites, some going back more than five years.

Africa
Disinformation

Jean le Roux was a research associate for the Sub-Saharan Africa region at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) based in South Africa.

Jean’s research is focused on disinformation, misinformation and digital propaganda campaigns within Africa. He has a particular interest in capacitating journalists and students to conduct open source investigations, building digital resilience and fostering a new generation of #DigitalSherlocks.

Jean has a bachelor’s degree in law and has conducted high profile corruption, maladministration and misconduct investigations within the government and financial services sectors. He has extensive experience in conducting open source investigations cultivated during his 10-year career as a journalist, investigator and analyst.