Digital Forensic Research Lab

The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) has operationalized the study of disinformation by exposing falsehoods and fake news, documenting human rights abuses, and building digital resilience worldwide.

The Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) is a first of its kind organization with technical and policy expertise on disinformation, connective technologies, democracy, and the future of digital rights. Incubated at the Atlantic Council in 2016, the DFRLab has conducted over 1,000 investigations exposing influence operations and emerging digital threats worldwide.

With a team rooted in diverse regional expertise and subject-matter knowledge, the DFRLab works to promote digital resilience, defend democratic institutions, and ensure that objective fact remains central to public discourse in an increasingly contested information space.

Read the DFRLab’s latest case studies, learn about our initiatives, and more at DFRLab.org

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Programs

The Democracy + Tech Initiative creates policy practices that align global stakeholders toward tech and governance that reinforces, rather than undermines, open societies. It builds on the DFRLab’s established track record and leadership in the open-source field, empowering global communities to promote transparency and accountability online and around the world.

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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From the archives

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Content

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#AlertaVenezuela

Jul 8, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: July 8, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

As the Maduro regime has reported an increase of coronavirus cases in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro himself blamed Venezuelan migrants returning illegally to their country and the “Colombian mafia” to be the main source of the “Colombian virus” in Venezuela.

Disinformation Venezuela

Interview

Jul 8, 2020

#DFRLabCoffeeBreak with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs

The DFRLab Coffee Break is a video series meant to discuss how disinformation and digital change affect industries, policy making, and society with a community of experts, academics, and leaders from around the world.  Our guest in this video, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, speaks with DFRLab’s Managing Editor and Director, Graham Brookie, about Latvia’s digital resilience, the infodemic surrounding COVID-19, and […]

Disinformation Europe & Eurasia

Interview

Jul 2, 2020

#DFRLabCoffeeBreak with European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová

Vice-President for Values and Transparency for the European Commission Věra Jourová speaks with DFRLab Senior Fellow, Jakub Kalensky about the Commission’s latest Joint Communication.

Digital Policy Disinformation
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jul 2, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: July 2, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Twitter accounts with set locations of Cuba and Venezuela made at least six anti-U.S. and pro-Cuba hashtags trend in Venezuela. The accounts used the hashtags to denounce U.S. sanctions and to promote Cuban medical missions in Venezuela.

Disinformation Venezuela
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jun 24, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: June 24, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

On Facebook, false claims that Nicolás Maduro would be ousted from power gained momentum after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would consider meeting with Nicolás Maduro to discuss “a peaceful exit [of Maduro] from power.”

Disinformation Venezuela
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jun 17, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: June 17, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

With South America as a growing epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maduro regime has doubled down on his politization of the disease, accusing the governments of Colombia and Brazil of intentionally infecting Venezuelans who are returning from those countries to their home country.

Disinformation Venezuela
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jun 9, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: June 9, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

After the U.S. Embassy in Colombia announced on May 27 that specialized U.S. Army personnel – the Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) – would be supporting Colombian security forces with counter-narcotics operations, pro-Maduro media exaggerated the number of U.S. military personnel deployed to the country.

Disinformation Venezuela

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
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#AlertaVenezuela

Jun 2, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: June 2, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

In May, the Maduro regime restricted access to specific websites, including YouTube and Instagram, during a virtual session of the country’s National Assembly. According to nongovernmental organizations, journalists and medical personnel have also been detained since the COVID-19 pandemic first began spreading in the country.

Disinformation Venezuela
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#AlertaVenezuela

May 27, 2020

#AlertaVenezuela: May 27, 2020

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

The hashtag #OperacionGedeon, in reference to the name of the failed attempt to oust Nicolás Maduro from power, trended on Twitter in Venezuela from May 3, 2020, when the first armed clashes and detentions were reported by the Maduro regime, until May 6.

Disinformation Venezuela