Recent analysis

Early-morning flare-up in Luhansk

UkraineAlert May 27, 2025

Russia is extinguishing all traces of Ukrainian identity in occupied Ukraine

By Kateryna Odarchenko

Throughout occupied Ukraine, the Russian authorities are seeking to consolidate their control by eradicating all traces of Ukrainian statehood and national identity while imposing a reign of terror on the civilian population, writes Kateryna Odarchenko.
Conflict Disinformation
Early-morning flare-up in Luhansk

New Atlanticist May 5, 2025

What’s the best way to deal with Russian information manipulation? Latvia has answers.

By Elīna Vrobļevska and Beniamino Irdi

By combining policy tools, public education, media support, active debunking, and international partnerships, Latvia has built a layered defense.
Disinformation Europe & Eurasia
Early-morning flare-up in Luhansk

New Atlanticist Apr 18, 2025

Exposing Pravda: How pro-Kremlin forces are poisoning AI models and rewriting Wikipedia

By Valentin Châtelet

Our investigation explores how Russia is weaponizing Wikipedia and artificial intelligence chatbots to expand its global malign influence campaign.
Disinformation Europe & Eurasia

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.

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Content

Article

Feb 18, 2020

Early-morning flare-up in Luhansk

By Michael J. Sheldon

The DFRLab analyzed imagery from intense fighting in eastern Ukraine on the morning of February 18, 2020.

Conflict Disinformation

In the News

Feb 12, 2020

Countering misinformation in an expanding media landscape

By Atlantic Council

Dr. David Bray, Director of the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center, and other expert panelists considered the changing landscape of misinformation on an episode DisrupTV hosted by Mr. R "Ray" Wang and Mr. Vala Afshar of Constellation Research.

Cybersecurity Digital Policy
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
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Feb 11, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: February 11, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Rumors claiming that Juan Guaidó had given Donald Trump permission to lead a military intervention in Venezuela started to circulate while Guaidó was on an international tour to Europe and the Western Hemisphere. The claims amassed substantial engagement on social media, including a YouTube video that received more than 100,000 views.

Disinformation Venezuela

In the News

Feb 7, 2020

Handler in Lawfare: Election Security After Iowa

By Atlantic Council

The Iowa caucus debacle showcased how unhinged conspiracies can inflict damage on democratic institutions that’s just as severe as more direct electoral manipulation—along with the risk posed by overblown electoral outrage. To the extent that Iowa was a dry run for more pernicious election security issues that might arise in the general election, just about everyone failed the test.

Cybersecurity Disinformation

Insights & Impact

Feb 5, 2020

A reason for skepticism with China’s coronavirus comms

By Tessa Knight and Jacqueline Malaret

While presenting an image abroad of transparency and cooperation in the country's response to COVID-19, China is simultaneously threatening journalists and detaining people who speak out on social media, the latest in its long history of attempting to maintain tight control over the facts to avoid domestic public scrutiny of a public health crisis.

China Civil Society
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Feb 4, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: February 4, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

A Twitter network previously reported by the DFRLab used random text, including snippets of poems, song lyrics, articles, and Wikipedia entries, to amplify anti-Guaidó hashtags on Twitter. The random text appeared to be unrelated to Guaidó and to the hashtags. The network’s actions suggest they engaged in inauthentic behavior to make the hashtags seem more popular than they were in an attempt to influence or manipulate the trending topics on Twitter.

Disinformation Venezuela

Article

Jan 30, 2020

Bioweapons, secret labs, and the CIA: pro-Kremlin actors blame the US for coronavirus outbreak

By Eto Buziashvili

Multiple narratives begin to emerge on fringe Russian outlets and social media, following a familiar playbook

Coronavirus Disinformation
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Jan 28, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: January 28, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Accusations of corruption against Juan Guaidó and other National Assembly members resurfaced in the form of a misleading claim regarding the misappropriation of foreign funds that was pushed by pro-Maduro regime blogs and media outlets from Venezuela and regime-allied countries.

Disinformation Venezuela
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Jan 21, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: January 21, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

On January 11, Juan Guaidó, president of the National Assembly who is recognized by more than 50 countries as interim president of Venezuela, announced his intention to appoint a presidential commission to oversee the restructuring of the Maduro regime-backed broadcaster Telesur. The announcement started the debate about the future of the media outlet. The regime mounted a significant response on social and traditional media, including on Telesur itself.

Disinformation Venezuela
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Experts

Fellow

Caleb Eames

Senior US Marine Corps Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Africa Crisis Management

Staff

Audrey Roh

Program Assistant

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Cybersecurity Japan

Staff

Dominique Ramsawak

Associate Director, Communications

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Digital Policy Disinformation

Fellow

Ethel Rudnitzki

Nonresident Journalist Fellow

Global China Hub

Brazil China

Advisory Council member

Gordon Humphrey

Member, Freedom and Prosperity Center Advisory Council

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Disinformation Freedom and Prosperity

Staff

Nika Aleksejeva

Resident Fellow, Baltics

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Disinformation
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