Recent analysis

Programs

The Atlantic Council Technology Programs comprises five existing efforts—the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), the GeoTech Center, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, the Democracy + Tech Initiative, and the Capacity Building Initiative. These operations work together to address the geopolitical implications of technology and provide policymakers and global stakeholders necessary research, insights, and convenings to address challenges around global technology and ensure its responsible advancement.

Content

UkraineAlert

Jun 10, 2021

Pro-Kremlin propaganda in Ukraine changes tone

By Peter Pomerantsev, Inna Nelles, Volodymyr Yermolenko, Angelina Kariakina

Pro-Kremlin propaganda in Ukraine is changing. Praising Putin is a harder sell since the 2014 invasion, so now the focus is less on boosting Russia and more about making the West look just as bad.

Disinformation Media

UkraineAlert

Jun 7, 2021

Ukraine’s new football shirt leaves Russia furious

By Peter Dickinson

Russia has reacted with fury to Ukraine's new national football team jersey featuring a map of Ukraine. Kremlin anger is focused on the inclusion of Crimea, which is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine but has been under Russian occupation since 2014.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Jun 1, 2021

Ending Ukraine’s memory wars

By Peter Pomerantsev, Nataliya Gumenyuk, Maria Montague

Since 1991, Russia has sought to fuel memory wars as a way of preventing Ukraine from consolidating its statehood. However, recent research indicates that history can unite Ukrainians as well as dividing them.

Democratic Transitions Disinformation

New Atlanticist

May 27, 2021

How to solve today’s tech challenges: secure data, close the digital divide, boost leadership

By Rose Butchart

The decade to come will be the “GeoTech Decade,” in which the technology trends that began in previous years will become fixed in their impact on society. The Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data launched its first report with recommendations to guide leaders as they make choices regarding technology and data.

Cybersecurity Disinformation

New Atlanticist

May 27, 2021

New technologies will reshape the world in the next decade. What does that mean for the US?

By Katherine Golden

What can the United States do to reap the benefits of the GeoTech Decade and tame the era’s threats? Here are the key takeaways from the conversation.

Cybersecurity Disinformation

GeoTech Cues

May 24, 2021

SCOTCH: A framework for rapidly assessing influence operations

By Sam Blazek, PhD

The increased involvement of digital technology and media in war requires innovative frameworks for understanding information warfare and influence operations. In this piece, GeoTech Action Council member Sam Blazek outlines SCOTCH, a new framework for characterizing influence operations.

Digital Policy Disinformation

GeoTech Cues

May 19, 2021

Games with serious consequences: Extremist movements and kayfabe

By Richard J. Cordes

Extremist movements and emergent collectives have found a home in online communities and platforms. In this piece, Nonresident Fellow R.J. Cordes outlines how such groups blur the lines between games and reality and presents a strategy for handling online collectives effectively.

Digital Policy Disinformation

Event Recap

May 12, 2021

Event recap | Exploring the future of data, human rights, speech, and privacy

By the GeoTech Center

On Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. EDT, the Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center hosted a panel of experts to explore “Exploring the future of data, human rights, speech, and privacy.” The panel included Alex Feerst, General Counsel at Neuralink; Chris Hazard, PhD, Co-founder and CTO at Diveplane; and Nathana Sharma, General Counsel at Labelbox.

Digital Policy Disinformation

Issue Brief

May 10, 2021

What would Winston do? Cooperative approaches toward securing the Five Eyes information environment

By Daniel Dobrowolski, David V. Gioe, and Trey Herr

Given the global prevalence of English, the countries comprising the Five Eyes intelligence alliance should build upon existing proven frameworks to cooperate to secure their shared information environment.

Cybersecurity Disinformation

Fast Thinking

May 5, 2021

FAST THINKING: Trump’s post-Facebook future

By Atlantic Council

Facebook's Oversight Board ruled Wednesday that former US President Donald Trump will remain banned from the platform for encouraging the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. And what consequences is it likely to have on online radicalization and the use and abuse of social media around the world?

Disinformation Technology & Innovation

Experts