Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab)

🇬🇪 🚨 Suspicious Facebook ads exploiting Georgia protests 🚨 🇬🇪 During Georgia's spring 2024 protests against the foreign agents law, deceptive Facebook ads imitated trusted local media outlets to lure users into financial scams. What we found: 🔍 At least 15 Facebook pages shared ads mimicking Georgia Today, Tabula, and Ambebi.ge. 💻 Fake websites plagiarized content and requested users’ personal data. 💰 Scams offered fraudulent investments in SOCAR, an Azerbaijani oil company. Facebook—essential for Georgian activists mobilizing against the law—was also leveraged for government propaganda, as pro-government pages spent over $90,000 to amplify disinformation. 👉 Read the full investigation from Sopo Gelava & Givi Gigitashvili: https://lnkd.in/ef9y2YkB #ForeignAgentsLaw #GeorgiaProtests #Georgia

📱🇺🇦 Telegram remains a dominant platform in Ukraine, but it is increasingly targeted by disinformation networks. The DFRLab’s investigation of 580,000+ comments uncovers how fake accounts post hostile anti-Ukrainian narratives in both Russian and Ukrainian to expand their reach. To give the illusion of widespread agreement, fake accounts amplify hostile narratives with repetitive comments, often using fabricated identities designed to appear as members of local Ukrainian communities - a common tactic since Russia's invasion 🕵️♂️ 🔎 Discover the latest from Roman Osadchuk, Iryna A., Givi Gigitashvili & Meredith F.: https://lnkd.in/ekdT65U6 #Telegram #UkraineRussiaConflict #Ukraine

🇯🇵 🔎 Foreign narratives are increasingly infiltrating Japanese X communities, targeting users with content that manipulates discourse around Japan’s sensitive topics—natural disasters, sovereignty disputes, and the US military presence. In this case study the DFRLab & Julia Janicki map the key communities amplifying narratives: 📊 7 distinct communities amplifying foreign narratives, comprised of Russian state media, Japanese politicians, independent bloggers, and others. 🌊 Given Japan's geographic vulnerability to natural disasters, governmental responses are often subject to intense scrutiny that foreign-aligned actors exploit 🇯🇵 Japan is responding by strengthening partnerships with the US, and NATO. Discover the network analysis revealing communities and key users, each playing distinct roles in amplifying pro-Russia and pro-China messaging: https://lnkd.in/es42Z-i7 #Japan #Twitter

🗓️ December 20 | 🕙 10:00 a.m. ET What in the world is going on in Georgia? Since 2003, Georgia has been among the leaders in Eurasia moving towards an open and democratic society. But this year, the ruling Georgian Dream party passed controversial foreign agent and offshore laws. It then claimed victory in elections fraught with numerous violations and allegations of fraud, which the EU and the United States criticized. On November 28, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze suspended Georgia’s EU membership bid until 2028, prompting a constitutional crisis and widespread protests in cities around the country. Join the Atlantic Council's expert panel discussion on how the US should respond to the developments in Georgia, featuring: Kimberly Donovan, Director, Economic Statecraft Initiative, Atlantic Council Nino Evgenidze, Executive Director, Economic Policy Research Center Ambassador John Herbst, Senior Director, Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council Ia Meurmishvili, Chief International Correspondent, The Cipher Brief Laura Thornton, Senior Director, Global Democracy Programs, McCain Institute The conversation will be moderated by Shelby Magid, Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Register now https://bit.ly/3DuDfAz➡️

🇷🇴 After ultranationalist candidate Calin Georgescu shocked the country with a first-round victory, Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the vote, citing cyberattacks and covert influence campaigns. 📱 How did TikTok and Telegram help propel Georgescu to nearly 23% of the vote? His hashtags alone generated 1.4 billion views across the EU. As Romania prepares for a re-run in the new year, the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) investigation explores the role of social media platforms in this political crisis, underscoring how online tactics to circumvent internal platform policies & the EU’s nascent Digital Services Act are continually evolving. Read Victoria Olari's full analysis: https://lnkd.in/ejzn5E_t #RomaniaElections #TikTok #Elections2024 

🗄️🔎 #BreakingGhouta (2018): Confirming chemical weapons attacks in Eastern Ghouta. Leveraging OSINT tools like geolocation and chronolocation, the DFRLab verified the timeline and locations of chemical attacks, providing a factual basis for understanding these atrocities. This report became a critical reference, later validated by international investigations. Discover how OSINT revealed the truth: https://lnkd.in/exQU96tp #FromTheArchives #SyriaConflict #Ghouta #OSINT

Romania’s annulled presidential election highlights how coordinated social media campaigns can blur the line between influence and interference. In this Atlantic Council analysis, Mark Scott examines allegations of TikTok, Telegram, and Facebook amplifying a pro-Russian candidate’s campaign—raising questions about digital influence, legality, and democratic resilience. Key takeaways: 📍 Much of this activity was legal under Romanian election laws. 📍 TikTok hashtags associated with the candidate gained massive traction before the vote. 📍 Online influencers allegedly received undisclosed payments—potentially violating campaign finance rules. Read the full analysis here: https://bit.ly/41tGzWS #RomaniaElection #ElectionIntegrity #Romania

Amid renewed developments in Syria, the DFRLab's 2017 report Breaking Aleppo remains a cornerstone of fact-based reporting. Using satellite imagery, geolocation, and social media analysis, DFRLab mapped the destruction of Aleppo, confirming targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure and countering misinformation 🛰️ 📱 The tools used then continue to prove the power of OSINT in uncovering truths in complex conflicts. Explore the full report: https://bit.ly/3ZvUusB #OSINT #Aleppo #Syria

#ICYMI: How Georgian media shaped perceptions of the foreign agents law protests 🇬🇪 🎙️ 📺 As Georgia faces a resurgence of protests following the recent suspension of EU accession talks, revisit Sopo Gelava, Givi Gigitashvili, and Esteban Ponce de León's analysis on how mainstream media influenced public perception during earlier foreign agents law demonstrations. 📰 From polarization to public opinion shifts, this piece offers crucial insights into the role of media in shaping the political landscape: https://lnkd.in/enu-VC9N #GeorgiaPolitics #Elections2024

📅 December 9, 11:00 a.m. ET: Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab)'s Senior Director & Atlantic Council VP Graham Brookie will be participating in a conversation about technology and data-driven solutions in LAC, organized by Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and U.S. Department of State. Join the discussion on digital transformation to ensure sustainable development. #ACLatAm 🔗 https://bit.ly/3Bd1Adw