June 6, 2025 | Bloomberg
Anti-LGBTQ+ posts surge in relation to offline events
ISD's analysis on rising anti-LGBTQ+ posts on 9 platforms in relation to offline events, particularly targeting trans individuals, is featured in Bloomberg.
May 22, 2025 | USA Today
ISD research cited in coverage of 764 sextortion ring and subsequent arrests
Multiple outlets referenced ISD’s research on the 764 sextortion group prior to and following the arrests of two men accused of leading the international network.
May 22, 2025 | i Paper
Did Adolescence cause a surge of users to an incel forum?
A popular Netflix series may have sparked a surge of activity on the world’s largest incel forum.
May 22, 2025 | The New Yorker
4chan “outflanked”: ISD’s Jared Holt unpacks the controversial site to the New Yorker
ISD’s Jared Holt tells The New Yorker 4chan has been “outflanked” by newer, more extreme platforms as its influence declines.
May 20, 2025 | Washington Post
From rioters to influencers? J6 figures capitalize on attention, but “stardom” may be out of reach
Some participants in the January 6 riot are trying to capitalise on the day’s infamy, but, as ISD’s Jared Holt explains, that’s unlikely to work.
May 20, 2025 | The Telegraph
Self-proclaimed “King of Germany” arrested: ISD’s Jakob Guhl on the rise of Germany’s anti-state conspiracy theorists
Armed police arrested a self-declared “King of Germany,” linked to the Reichsbürger, a growing anti-state movement.
May 20, 2025 | WSJ
Recruited by algorithms and AI: Terrorists in the West are getting younger
Across the globe, law enforcement officials are grappling with the same disturbing trend: terrorists are getting younger.
May 6, 2025 | WaPo
ISD’s Q1 2025 analysis of Russian-aligned Operation Overload featured in the Washington Post
ISD research analysing the activity of the Russian-aligned Operation Overload in the first quarter of 2025 is featured in WaPo.
May 6, 2025 | NYT
Conspiracy theories and violence: ISD research featured in New York Times on growing links, political mainstream
A New York Times article on the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories among various US politicians draws on ISD research linking violent incidents to individuals influenced by such narratives.
April 22, 2025 | Global News
Canadian domestic extremists exploit federal election to push harmful narratives
Global News covered ISD’s findings on Canadian extremist activity ahead of the federal election this weekend, largely focusing on US-Canada affairs and immigration.
April 15, 2025 |
Arson attack on PA Governor’s residence highlights ongoing rise in US political violence
ISD’s Katherine Keneally spoke to The Hill about the broader factors fueling political violence in the US following an arson attack targeting the Pennsylvania Governor.
April 15, 2025 | AFP
Toxic beauty amongst men? The rise of ‘looksmaxxing’ fuels a new digital aesthetic industry
Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan explains how influencers are seizing upon an unsettling trend that preys on young men’s insecurities.
April 10, 2025 | CTC Sentinel
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad examines emerging tactics of young IS supporters
Moustafa Ayad explores how a younger generation of Islamic State supporters is innovating online—and what practitioners can do to keep pace—in a piece for the CTC Sentinel.
April 9, 2025 | World Economic Forum
WEF highlights panel on platform accountability featuring ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek
The WEF highlighted a panel featuring ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek which examined how bad actors take advantage of social media platforms and what can be done to counter them.
April 7, 2025 | Latin America
Bomb threat in Uruguay linked to extremist group 764
ISD’s Explainer on 764 was featured in a Latin America Reports’ article about a series of recent bomb threats in Uruguay.
April 5, 2025 | The Guardian
ISD’s Steven Rai on the resurgence of the neo-Nazi accelerationist group The Base
ISD’s Steven Rai spoke to The Guardian about the white supremacist group The Base and their recent threats targeting Ukraine.
April 3, 2025 | The Huffington Post
ISD’s Jiore Craig on algorithms, social media trends leading to far-right spaces
Jiore Craig talks to the Huffington Post about social media trends and the lasting effects of COVID-19 on platform algorithms in pushing users toward far-right content.
April 2, 2025 | WIRED
ISD’s Milo Comerford speaks to WIRED about Adolescence and platform accountability
Milo Comerford discusses a new TV series on radicalisation—and how online platforms promote extremist content.
March 29, 2025 | Washington Post
Washington Post: ISD’s Guy Fiennes on the history of Betar
ISD’s Guy Fiennes spoke to the Washington Post about the history of the militant Zionist group known as Betar.
March 28, 2025 | Frontline
FRONTLINE: Documentary on Terrorgram features expertise from ISD’s Milo Comerford
In a FRONTLINE documentary, Milo Comerford explains how Terrorgram, an international neo-Nazi terrorist network, operates and what led to its downfall.
March 27, 2025 | The Journal
The Journal: Ciaran O’Conner explains how misinformation helps to fuel the anti-LGBTQ movement
Ciarán O’Connor explains how misinformation helped turn a controversial Irish teacher's court case into an international story.
March 27, 2025 | RTE
RTE: How are young men are being radicalised online
Ciarán O’Connor speaks to RTE about the Netflix show “Adolescence” and discusses the very real world of online radicalisation among young men.
March 15, 2025 | ProPublica
ISD’s Milo Comerford featured in ProPublica article on the Terrorgram Collective
Milo Comerford delves into the Terrorgram Collective, a dangerous white supremacy organization based entirely online.
March 8, 2025 | NPR
NPR: Online extremist communities fuel new radicalization pattern targeting minors
ISD talks to NPR about a new radicalization trend linking school shootings to online extremist groups like TCC and 764, which target minors.
March 3, 2025 | Prospect Magazine
Jakob Guhl in Prospect Magazine: Investigating the far-right ideology of the Magdeburg attacker
Jakob Guhl analyses the far-right ideology behind the Magdeburg attacker in Prospect Magazine, highlighting years of anti-Muslim, far-right activity online.
March 3, 2025 | The Ferret
ISD warns AfD’s Lena Kotré’s speech at white supremacist conference could legitimise extremist group
ISD speaks to the Scottish media cooperative The Ferret about an AfD member scheduled to speak at a conference held by a known white supremacist group.
March 2, 2025 | The Guardian
The Guardian: Rising violence among teens linked to online forums glorifying mass killers
ISD’s Cody Zoschak speaks to The Guardian on how online communities can fuel nihilistic violence among teens and why law enforcement struggles to respond.
February 26, 2025 | CNN
CNN: Paula-Charlotte Matlach on how global crises have fuelled the rise of far-right parties
Paula-Charlotte Matlach explains how various world events have contributed to people embracing far-right political parties.
February 26, 2025 | AFP
AFP: ISD’s Joseph Bodnar on Russian disinformation widening the Trump-Zelensky rift
ISD’s Joseph Bodnar discusses the rise of Russian disinformation and its role in turning US negotiators against Ukraine to secure favorable peace terms.
February 24, 2025 | The Guardian
The Guardian: ISD’s Steven Rai discusses The Base’s renewed focus on the US amid political shifts
Steven Rai highlights how the neo-Nazi group The Base has increased activity online following the shift of US administration.
February 21, 2025 | USA Today
USA Today: ISD’s Katherine Keneally on the rise of online activity in extremist spaces following the J6 pardons
Katherine Keneally explains the role the January 6 pardons has played in emboldening extremist groups online.
February 21, 2025 | Sky News
ISD’s Pablo Maristany de las Casas discusses ISD findings on AfD’s use of AI during the German elections
AfD’s use of AI-generated content strengthens far-right narratives.
February 20, 2025 | Sky News
ISD’s Jakob Guhl breaks down the AfD’s ascent on Sky News Daily
Jakob Guhl breaks down how the AfD was able to gain traction with German voters.
February 14, 2025 | The New York Times
ISD’s Sasha Havlicek speaks to the New York Times about a ‘dual front’ of disinformation targeting German elections
Sasha Havlicek speaks with the New York Times about the disinformation surrounding the German election.
February 13, 2025 | Agence France-Press
AFP Showcases ISD’s work on online disinformation targeting German elections
Agence France-Presse highlighted ISD’s latest work on a disinformation network using AI-generated content to deceive viewers.
February 9, 2025 | BBC
ISD’s Mauritius Dorn speaks to BBC about the rising popularity of Germany’s far-right party
Mauritius Dorn discusses how TikTok has increased AfD’s reach among young voters.
February 5, 2025 | The New York Times
ISD’s Jared Holt Speaks to The New York Times about gun culture on YouTube
Jared Holt discusses the prominence and impact of firearm related videos on YouTube.
February 4, 2025 | The Herald
ISD & TIE launch new educational tool to combat online hate & disinformation in Scotland
The Digital Discourse Initiative, a collaboration between TIE and ISD, provides free resources to help Scottish teachers combat online hate and disinformation.
February 3, 2025 | Just Security
ISD’s Jared Holt speaks to Just Security about the impact of pardoning January 6 offenders
Jared Holt warns of a rise in extremist movements following the release of the January 6 offenders.
February 3, 2025 | Al Jazeera
ISD’s Jakob Guhl to Al Jazeera about AfD’s increase in popularity with German voters
Jakob Guhl discusses how support for Germany’s far-right party is changing the political landscape.
January 30, 2025 | The New York Times
ISD’s Tim Squirrell speaks with The New York Times about how the UK defines terrorism
Tim Squirrell speaks to The New York Times about potential reforms to the UK Prevent program following the Southport Stabbings.
January 29, 2025 | Agence France-Press
ISD’s Cécile Simmons speaks to AFP about how podcasts spread health misinformation
Cécile Simmons explores the motivations behind podcasts spreading health misinformation.
January 28, 2025 | Hyphen
ISD’s Jakob Guhl speaks to Hyphen about cuts to Germany’s mental health services for asylum seekers
Jakob Guhl identifies anti-immigration policies as a reason for cuts to mental health services.
January 25, 2025 | The Guardian
ISD’s Tim Squirrell speaks to The Guardian about the shortcomings of the Prevent Program
Tim Squirrell discusses the Prevent Program and what can be done to reduce mass violence following the Southport Stabbings.
January 24, 2025 | AFP
ISD’s Joseph Bodnar Speaks to AFP about a pro-Russian operation spreading disinformation on social media
Joseph Bodnar explains “Doppelganger,” a pro-Russian operation targeting European countries on social media.
January 24, 2025 | Voice of America
ISD’s Olga Tokariuk speaks to Voice of America about Russian deepfake videos targeting Ukrainian refugees
Olga Tokariuk breaks down a Russian campaign to spread disinformation about the conflict with Ukraine.
January 24, 2025 | The Guardian
Julia Ebner speaks to the Guardian about how to address extreme online violence with young people
ISD’s Julia Ebner recommends proactive discussions about extreme online violence with children in the wake of Axel Rudakubana’s guilty plea.
January 23, 2025 | The Guardian
ISD’s Rashad Ali joins The Guardian’s Politics Weekly UK podcast to discuss the Southport Stabbing
Rashad Ali discusses the efficiency of the PREVENT program and what can be done to prevent future violent attacks in the UK.
January 23, 2025 | AP, News Channel 5
ISD’s Jared Holt speaks with multiple outlets on the radicalization of the Antioch High School shooter
Jared Holt discusses the manifesto of Solomon Henderson, and the role accelerationism plays in white supremacy ideology.
January 23, 2025 | The New Statesman
ISD’s Jacob Davey speaks with The New Statesman about youth radicalisation of children online
Jacob Davey discusses the new threat landscape and what the UK government can do to combat online extremism.
January 21, 2025 | Associated Press
Jared Holt speaks to the Associated Press about far-right responses to the Presidential Inauguration
ISD’s Jared Holt analyses the far-right’s reaction to Elon Musk’s speech at Donald Trump’s Inauguration.
January 21, 2025 | BBC Radio 5 Live
Southport trial: Hannah Rose speaks with BBC5 Live about protecting children from online violence
ISD’s Hannah Rose discusses what can be done to counter the threat of violent extremism online following Axel Rudakubana’s guilty plea in the Southport trial.
January 20, 2025 | NBC Washington
ISD’s Cody Zoschak speaks to NBC Washington about extremist groups targeting veterans
Cody Zoschak explains why extremist groups attempt to radicalize veterans.
January 12, 2025 | The Guardian
ISD’s Cody Zoschak speaks with The Guardian about online terrorism resources
Cody Zoschak highlights the accessibility of terrorism resources online and how that connects to the rise in extremist attacks.
January 10, 2025 | Washington Post
ISD’s Isabelle Wright speaks with the Washington Post about misinformation surrounding the Los Angeles fires
Isabelle Wright how misinformation on social media about natural disasters can affect people’s perception of politics.
January 7, 2025 | BNN Bloomberg
ISD’s Katherine Keneally speaks to BNN Bloomberg about extremist content online
Katherine Keneally warns of the ramifications of social media sites declining to moderate extremist content.
January 6, 2025 | News Lines Magazine
ISD’s Katherine Keneally speaks with News Lines about the implications of presidential pardons for January 6 defendants
Katherine Keneally warns of the consequences that may incur if the defendants of the January 6 insurrection are pardoned.
December 24, 2024 | The Times
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad speaks with The Times about how extremists target children online
Moustafa Ayad explains how online platforms fail to protect minors from radicalisation.
December 19, 2024 | The Guardian
ISD’s Cécile Simmons featured in Guardian panel on Pelicot rape trial verdict
ISD’s Cécile Simmons is featured in a Guardian panel discussing how online platforms enabled the abuse at the centre of the Pelicot rape trial.
December 18, 2024 | Voice of America
Joe Bodnar speaks with VOA about foreign disinformation on Bluesky
Joe Bodnar explains how foreign influence campaigns may attempt to exploit the political leanings of users on Bluesky.
December 15, 2024 | The Guardian
The Guardian interviews Jared Holt about popularity of the alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter
ISD’s Jared Holt shares concerns about celebrating acts of violence.
December 13, 2024 | Sky News
Katherine Keneally speaks with Sky News about the reaction to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO
ISD’s Katherine Keneally speaks to Sky News about Luigi Mangione and the online support he has received following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
December 13, 2024 | BBC
Cécile Simmons speaks with BBC about the spread of health disinformation online
ISD’s Cécile Simmons explains why media personalities may spread disinformation about health.
December 11, 2024 | NPR
ISD’s Jared Holt joins NPR to discuss the online fascination with the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Jared Holt discusses the fascination with those scouring Luigi Mangione’s digital footprint to provide a possible motive behind his alleged actions.
December 4, 2024 | Deutsche Welle
ISD’s Julia Smirnova explains the motive behind Russian propaganda targeting Ukrainian President
Julia Smirnova speaks to Deutsche Welle about Russia’s latest attempt to undermine Ukraine’s president.
December 4, 2024 | Mother Jones
ISD’s Jennie King speaks to Mother Jones about climate denialism accounts on X
Jennie King describes how X accounts dedicated to spreading disinfo about climate change gained a foothold on the platform.
November 30, 2024 | The Journal, Waterford News & Star
ISD report on hate and harassment targeting Irish politicians highlighted by numerous outlets
A joint investigation between ISD and the Hope and Courage Collective found 55 instances of abuse targeting Ireland’s general election candidates.
November 27, 2024 | Forbes
Forbes features ISD research on false election interference claims in Ireland’s general election
Forbes highlighted ISD’s recent report about false claims of foreign interference impacting elections in Ireland.
November 22, 2024 | Tortoise Media
ISD’s Isabelle Wright speaks with the Sensemaker podcast about the rise in misogynistic language following Trump’s victory
Isabelle Wright discusses ISD’s efforts to track social media posts online and explains a sudden increase in misogyny both online and off.
November 16, 2024 | NBC News
ISD’s Max Read discusses left-wing election denialism claims with NBC News
Max Read discusses election denialism claims following Trump’s victory and why these claims have not gained as much traction.
November 15, 2024 | KCBS Radio
ISD’s Jiore Craig speaks with KCBS Radio about the surge in online misogyny following Trump’s victory
Jiore Craig joins KCBS Radio to share findings showing a 4000% increase in misogynistic language on X following Trump’s victory in the US election.
November 14, 2024 | WIRED
Left-wing election fraud narratives linking Elon Musk’s Starlink to Kamala Harris’s defeat
Elise Thomas discussed with WIRED the surge in election fraud claims, including a conspiracy tying Trump’s victory to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet satellite system.
November 13, 2024 | NBC News and more
ISD report details rise in “your body, my choice” and other misogynistic content following the US elections
ISD's report highlighting the post-election increase in misogynistic language on social media features in NBC News, CNN, Bloomberg and more.
November 12, 2024 | The Guardian
ISD’s Cécile Simmons for the Guardian: Women rejecting men after Trump’s election, response to rising online misogyny
Cécile Simmons, Research Manager at ISD, wrote an op-ed for the Guardian on how women are responding to perpetuated misogyny across the globe.
November 9, 2024 | Washington Post
AI content blurs truth in US elections, reinforces biases, finds ISD report
Ahead of the US elections, ISD found AI content blurred real and artificial media, with voters often unable to distinguish between them and increasingly assuming real content is AI-generated.
November 8, 2024 | PolitiFact
ISD’s Melanie Smith speaks with PolitiFact about Russian influence targeting the US election
Melanie Smith speaks with PolitiFact about the strategy used by Russian organizations to influence US elections.
November 8, 2024 | CBS
ISD’s Max Read speaks to CBS about election fraud claims dropping after Trump’s favorable results
ISD’s Max Read told CBS that online election fraud claims surged on Election Day but dropped sharply as results favored President-elect Trump.
November 8, 2024 | Factchequeado
Russian disinformation campaigns amplify divisive narratives ahead of elections
Valeria de la Fuente, a Digital Research Analyst at ISD US, joined Factchequeado to discuss federal warnings on Russian interference in the lead up to the elections.
November 5, 2024 | Salon
Disinformation campaigns take advantage of Hurricanes Milton and Helene
Salon reports on ISD's research about Russian propaganda campaigns exploiting Hurricanes Milton and Helene to spread disinformation.
November 4, 2024 | NYT, Forbes, Wired
Telegram’s role in right-wing mobilization and rising US Election Day concerns
ISD's Katherine Keneally speaks to various outlets about how extremists use of Telegram to mobilize and organize outside mainstream platforms, raising concerns for Election Day security.
November 2, 2024 | Tech Policy Press
Social media’s role in spreading disinformation about the electoral process
Tech Policy Press reports on ISD’s research into the role social media platforms play in spreading false claims about elections.
November 2, 2024 | BNN Bloomberg
Multiple X accounts claim to illegally vote as foreign nationals in the US election
BNN Bloomberg reported on our recent findings involving a network of X accounts claiming to vote in the US election as non-citizens.
October 30, 2024 | Lawfare
ISD’s Elise Thomas for Lawfare: Gen AI will increase misinformation about disinformation
Elise Thomas, OSINT Senior Analyst at ISD, wrote an op-ed for Lawfare on how generative AI amplifies misinformation by producing false claims about disinformation itself.
October 29, 2024 | New York Times
How foreign countries are using disinformation to interfere with the US Presidential election
Melanie Smith spoke with the New York Times about how countries like Russia, China and Iran use disinformation to sway the public’s opinion on the US Presidential Election.
October 29, 2024 | FOX Livenow
ISD’s Melanie Smith speaks to LiveNOW from FOX about Russia-backed disinformation, US elections
Melanie Smith joined LiveNOW from FOX to discuss ISD findings on Russia’s disinformation campaign on social media regarding the US government's response to hurricanes Helene and Milton.
October 28, 2024 | NPR
ISD’s Max Read speaks to NPR about acts of arson targeting ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon
Max Read, Senior Research Manager at ISD, spoke with NPR about false claims surrounding ballot box security following incidents of arson in two states.
October 24, 2024 | Associated Press
Russian disinformation campaign targets US hurricane response to undermine government trust
ISD’s Melanie Smith spoke with AP to discuss ISD’s findings on a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the US government’s response to recent hurricanes.
October 15, 2024 | Forbes, etc
How extremists and politicians exploited Hurricane Helene to spread antisemitic hate & election conspiracies
ISD analysts found that misinformation during Hurricane Helene fueled antisemitic hate and election conspiracies, undermining public trust.
October 11, 2024 | NYT
Jennie King on the dangers of Hurricane Helene & Milton conspiracies: Undermining trust & hampering relief efforts
ISD's Jennie King spoke to the New York Times about the surge in climate-related conspiracy theories surrounding Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
October 10, 2024 | WIRED
The Irish Channel’s use of AI in election denial narratives
WIRED reports on our findings about the Irish Channel, which uses generative AI to produce false articles linked to US election denial narratives.
October 8, 2024 | WaPo
Antisemitic misinformation targets US officials amid hurricane Helene recovery efforts
ISD's analysis revealed that North Carolina officials and FEMA representatives responding to Hurricane Helene are targets of antisemitic mis- and disinformation.
October 4, 2024 | WIRED
Telegram’s legal changes prompt migration of neo-Nazi accelerationist groups
ISD detected a migration of neo-Nazi accelerationists following the arrest of Telegram's CEO.
September 30, 2024 | The Guardian
Austrian Freedom Party’s victory highlights growing far-right radicalism across Europe
In her op-ed for The Guardian, Julia Ebner discusses Austria's far-right Freedom Party's recent electoral victory, highlighting its peak popularity and radicalism since its founding.
September 29, 2024 | Mail on Sunday
Aoife Gallagher on far-right disinformation and its impact on migrant violence in post-riot Ireland
ISD analyst Aoife Gallagher discusses the dangers of far-right disinformation linking migrants to violence, highlighting incidents post-Dublin riots.
September 26, 2024 | Tech Policy Press
Isabelle Frances-Wright and Ellen Jacobs join podcast to discuss platform preparedness for the upcoming US election
ISD's Isabelle Frances-Wright and Ellen Jacobs joined the Tech Policy Press podcast for an in-depth discussion about their recent ISD report assessing platform preparedness for the upcoming US election.
September 26, 2024 | Mother Jones
Jared Holt on the failed ‘Groyper War’ attempting to influence the Trump campaign through social media manipulation
Nick Fuentes led a social media campaign to influence Trump’s team, but despite spikes in activity, his "Groyper War" largely failed.
September 24, 2024 | WSJ
Telegram shifts platform policy, pledging cooperation with authorities following CEO’s arrest
ISD’s Isabelle Frances-Wright spoke to The Wall Street Journal about extremist content on Telegram after the platform reversed its stance on cooperating with authorities.
September 20, 2024 | New Republic
From fear of drag queens to lies about immigrants eating pets: Right-wing personalities latch onto moral panic
Jared Holt comments on Trump’s anti-immigrant remarks about Springfield, Ohio, noting how they sparked a familiar right-wing moral panic and led to AI-generated posts online.
September 19, 2024 | WEF
Is patience waning with efforts to moderate content on social media?
ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek spoke to the World Economic Forum following the arrest of Telegram's founder about how patience is waning with the lax moderation on online platforms.
September 16, 2024 | Irish Independent
Combatting conspiratorial thinking with “empathy”, open-minded questions
Nathalie Rücker explains how conspiracy theories meet emotional needs during crises and suggests empathy and dialogue in order to address extremist views.
September 11, 2024 | DW
The ‘TikTok-ification’ of extremist content and its impact on teen radicalisation
ISD's Moustafa Ayad spoke with DW about the growing trend of teens engaging with Islamic State content online.
September 7, 2024 | NBC News
US indictment of RT employees may have limited impact
Melanie Smith spoke with NBC News about how the recent indictment of two RT employees might have a limited impact on Russia's broader disinformation efforts.
August 29, 2024 | Lawfare
ISD’s Milo Comerford and Jacob Davey on policy responses to the Southport riots
ISD’s Milo Comerford and Jacob Davey wrote an op-ed for Lawfare about how police-led responses to the Southport riots cannot be the sole strategy for tackling extremism.
August 29, 2024 | Guardian
ISD uncovers unbranded Telegram channels acting as gateways to extremist content linked to Terrorgram Collective
In April, the UK designated the Terrorgram Collective a terrorist group. ISD's report to the Guardian identified unbranded Telegram channels linked to the Collective acting as gateways to extremist content.
August 16, 2024 | LBC
Jennie King on UK schools teaching children critical thinking skills to spot extremist content
ISD's Director of Climate Disinformation Research and Policy Jennie King spoke to Nick Ferrari on LBC about children being taught to spot conspiracy theories and extremist content online in UK primary and secondary schools.
August 16, 2024 | Defense One
Nathan Doctor on the shutdown of CrowdTangle ahead of US elections
This week saw the closure by Meta of CrowdTangle, an analytics tool that allowed researchers, journalists, and others to observe the spread of information on Facebook and Instagram.
August 16, 2024 | Prospect
Julia Ebner on how the UK riots has impacted the far right movement
In an exclusive interview with Prospect, ISD's Julia Ebner spoke about the potential backlash of harsh punishments for far-right rioters in England.
August 5, 2024 | KCRW
ISD’s Zahed Amanullah discusses the background to anti-Muslim/anti-migrant riots in the UK
ISD's Zahed Amanullah provides a background to recent anti-immigrant riots in the UK, including the role of disinformation, policing, and community responses for Press Play with Madeline Brand on Los Angeles-based radio KCRW.
August 2, 2024 | CNN
Southport riots, “an attempt to hijack a really difficult, sensitive issue to push hate”
ISD experts feature in CNN, The Guardian, Sky News and more, speaking about the far-right riots following the attack in Southport, UK.
August 1, 2024 | LBC
Milo Comerford on how online misinformation about the Southport mass stabbing fuelled far-right riots
In a radio interview with Leading Britain’s Conversation, ISD's Milo Comerford discusses how online misinformation about the Southport attacker's identity led to offline violence.
July 29, 2024 | WIRED
ISD uncovers hundreds of neo-Nazi accounts on TikTok in exclusive shared with WIRED
ISD's findings on hundreds of neo-Nazi accounts operating on TikTok was shared exclusively with WIRED.
July 24, 2024 | The 19th*
Melanie Smith on rising racist and misogynistic online disinformation targeting Kamala Harris
ISD's Melanie Smith speaks to The 19th* about increased online disinformation targeting Vice President Kamala Harris after announcing her Democratic nomination bid.
July 16, 2024 | Christian Science Monitor
Jordan Reimer on disrupting violent extremist paths with a “public health approach”
ISD's Jordan Reimer was quoted in Christian Science Monitor discussing the advantages of the "public health approach" to preventing extremism in the US.
July 15, 2024 | NYT
False claims about Trump’s attempted assassination receive over 100M views on X
The New York Times features ISD's investigation into the false claims that proliferated on social media following the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
July 14, 2024 | ABC
Katherine Keneally on conspiracy theories spreading after Trump assassination attempt
In the hours after Trump's assassination attempt, Katherine Keneally spoke with ABC Australia in a radio interview about the false claims spreading on social media about the incident.
July 13, 2024 | NBC News
Trump assassination attempt highlights growing trend of violence against politicians
ISD's Director of Threat Analysis, Katherine Keneally, spoke to NBC News in the hours following the shooting that left one bystander dead and two injured.
July 4, 2024 | Sky News
Foiled kidnapping plot against Female British TV star highlights online misogyny and hate
ISD's Jacob Davey spoke to Sky News about online misogyny and policy responses in relation to the case of Gavin Plumb, convicted of plotting to kidnap TV presenter Holly Willoughby.
July 4, 2024 | Tampa Bay Times
Supreme court rulings related to Jan 6: An “opportunity” for notoriety and sympathy for defendants
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to the Tampa Bay Times about defendants' shifting attitudes toward January 6 following key Supreme Court rulings.
July 3, 2024 | Rolling Stone
Conspiracy influencers enter mainstream politics in Europe following pivot from climate topics
ISD's Jennie King features in Rolling Stone speaking on the effects of conspiracy influencers and narratives on the previously broad consensus on climate action.
July 3, 2024 | Washington Post
Videos of livestreamed shooting in Indiana linger online
ISD's Moustafa Ayad spoke to the Washington Post about our analysis of videos from the livestreamed shooting and how social media platforms' are again failing to enforce their own policies.
June 24, 2024 | The Boston Globe
As Trump faces legal proceedings, a surprising lull in political unrest among supporters
ISD research, featured by The Boston Globe, highlights subdued political unrest among Trump supporters amid legal challenges and election prospects.
June 24, 2024 | Yahoo News
ISD study reveals how YouTube’s algorithm pushes problematic content despite user interest
Yahoo News covers ISD’s study showing YouTube's algorithm exposes users to misinformation and explicit content, regardless of age or interests, across various content categories.
June 18, 2024 | WIRED
Pro-Islamic State outlet using CNN and Al Jazeera branding to boost reach
Moustafa Ayad spoke to WIRED about a pro-Islamic State media outlet campaign branded as mainstream outlets CNN and AL Jazeera.
June 9, 2024 | RTÉ, the Irish Times & more
Doxxing, threats and harassment: Intimidation toward election candidates in 2024 raises concerns in Ireland
ISD's joint analysis with Hope and Courage Collective found 36 incidents of politically-motivated violence targeting female and migrant-background candidates ahead of local Irish and EU elections.
June 7, 2024 | The Bulwark
Sasha Havlicek on elections disinformation in the US
ISD's CEO and co-founder, Sasha Havlicek, is a guest on the 'Beg to Differ' podcast by The Bulwark to discuss the threat electoral disinformation poses in the US.
June 4, 2024 | CNN
Online reactions to Trump’s guilty verdict could serve as catalysts for acts of violence and radicalization
CNN features ISD's rapid response analysis of online reactions to the guilty verdict against former President Donald Trump.
May 31, 2024 | Atlantic
Jared Holt on the increase of online extremist rhetoric and the chances of online-to-offline mobilisation
ISD Senior Research Analyst Jared Holt spoke to the Atlantic about the increase in online extremist rhetoric following the guilty verdict against former President Donald Trump.
May 30, 2024 | Die Zeit
Julia Smirnova on Russian influence campaigns targeting the EU elections
ISD's Julia Smirnova spoke to the German weekly Die Zeit about the impact of Russian information operations targeting the European Parliamentary election.
May 30, 2024 | The NYT
Information Laundromat tool detects banned Russian propaganda across hundreds of websites
The New York Times covers findings from ISD, ASD and UvA on laundered Russian propaganda making its way to Western audiences despite bans.
May 30, 2024 | Zeit
A racist, viral video from the affluent island of Sylt causes uproar in Germany
ISD Germany's Gilda Sahebi speaks to Zeit Online about a recent uproar in German society around a viral video showing young people chanting xenophobic, right-wing slogans, with one person reportedly making a Nazi-related gesture.
May 23, 2024 | AP
US Supreme Court Justice wrapped in second flag fiasco, flag among those carried by Jan. 6 rioters
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to the AP about recently surfaced images of a controversial flag spotted outside the vacation home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and what it could mean.
May 22, 2024 | WIRED
Hindutva narratives spreading anti-Muslim hate are being monetised across platforms
ISD's Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan spoke to WIRED about anti-muslim narratives circulating online and being promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
May 20, 2024 | Carbon Brief
Jennie King on key geopolitical risks to climate action in 2024
ISD's Head of Climate Disinformation Research and Policy, Jennie King, joins fellow experts on identifying key geopolitical threats to climate action in 2024
May 17, 2024 | Axios
ISD, CAP and 51 organizations urge Meta to delay shutting down CrowdTangle ahead of elections
Axios features a letter sent to Meta by ISD and the Center for American Progress (CAP) on behalf of 51 organizations and researchers urging Meta to delay the closure of CrowdTangle.
May 16, 2024 | The Age
Elise Thomas on a potential social media ‘news ban’ in Australia: “No news will not be good news”
Senior OSINT Analyst Elise Thomas' op-ed on Meta's potential 'news ban' in Australia was published by outlets The Age and the Sunday Morning Herald.
May 13, 2024 | RTÉ
Ciarán O’Connor on the challenges of spotting AI-generated images
ISD Senior Analyst Ciarán O’Connor spoke to RTÉ about the growing challenges of spotting fast-improving AI generated images.
May 8, 2024 | Bloomberg
US campus protests being weaponized by foreign actors ahead of elections
ISD's Director of Research, Melanie Smith, spoke to Bloomberg and the NYT about how US campus protests are being weaponized by foreign actors.
May 7, 2024 | Guardian
ISD collaborates on conspiracy theories guide for UK MPs and election candidates
Experts from ISD contribute to guide for UK MPs and election candidates on key conspiracy theories proliferating the country.
May 2, 2024 | The Guardian
Australian campaign attempts to tackle misogyny in online spaces, a “deeply rooted” problem
ISD's Elise Thomas spoke to the Guardian about misogynistic content reaching young audiences online. However, she notes that the problem extends beyond the type of content to the algorithm behind it all.
April 29, 2024 | El Mundo
US bill banning TikTok strikes debate about online safety, freedom of speech and national security
El Mundo features ISD commentary about the recently approved bill that could result in the banning of TikTok from US territory.
April 29, 2024 | WIRED
Elise Thomas on ‘MAGAflage’ and improvements to China’s state-sponsored disinformation campaign
ISD's Elise Thomas spoke to WIRED about alarming improvements in Chinese disinformation campaigns.
April 26, 2024 | POLITICO
Elise Thomas on the new tactics used by pro-CCP ‘Spamouflage’ network, “real shift and really concerning”
ISD Senior Analyst Elise Thomas is a guest on the Politico Tech podcast discussing her recent investigation on the new tactics being used by the pro-CCP network known as Spamouflage.
April 24, 2024 | Cities 1.5 Podcast
Jennie King on threats to climate action and its likely effects on elections around the world
Jennie King discusses threats to climate action, the actors behind climate mis- and disinformation, and the likely impact on election campaigns worldwide.
April 21, 2024 | The Boston Globe
AI in US campaigns: How foreign adversaries may take advantage, disengaging voters
ISD's Jiore Craig spoke to the Boston Globe about how AI could be exploited by bad actors to inundate voters with conflicting information and sow confusion.
April 20, 2024 | Irish Examiner
Ireland’s gardaí’s “soft touch-approach” emboldening far-right and conspiracy groups in Ireland
ISD’s Aoife Gallagher speaks to the Irish Examiner about the increasing intimidation politicians are facing from far-right agitators and conspiracy groups in Ireland.
April 18, 2024 | USA Today
Columbine glorification content easy to find on TikTok, gaming sites
ISD's Moustafa Ayad and Isabelle Frances-Wright spoke with USA Today about the easy access and wide availability of content related to Columbine and how it is created by young people for young people.
April 15, 2024 | WIRED, NPR & more
Misleading, false and AI-generated footage of Iran’s attack on Israel goes viral
ISD's rapid response analysis to Iran's attack on Israel found that misleading or falsified posts had amassed more than 37 million views in the seven hours following the military response. Our findings in WIRED.
April 12, 2024 | ARD-faktenfinder
Pro-Kremlin disinformation actors laundering information through fake journalists ahead of European elections
ISD's Julia Smirnova spoke to German public broadcaster ARD about recent tactics utilised by pro-Kremlin disinformation actors ahead of the European elections.
April 11, 2024 | Politico
Russian influence possibly reaching EU institutions, targetting voters ahead of June elections
ISD's Jiore Craig spoke to POLITICO about possible Russian influence reaching EU institutions months and targetting voters online in the lead up to the European elections in June.
April 5, 2024 | iNews
Milo Comerford on the presence of former ISIS fighters in IDP camps
Ten years after the rise of Islamic State, ISD's Milo Comerford discusses the long-term challenge of former ISIS fighters present in IDP camps in Iraq.
April 1, 2024 | AFP
Meta’s decision to shut down CrowdTangle, “grave step backward for social media platform transparency”
ISD's Melanie Smith spoke to Agence France Presse (AFP) about Meta's decision to decommission its digital monitoring tool, CrowdTangle, in the middle of a crucial election year worldwide.
April 1, 2024 | NYT
Pro-CCP network experiments with ‘MAGAflage’ and ‘fo’ accounts ahead of US elections
The New York Times covers our recent investigation on the new tactics being used by the pro-CCP influence campaign known as 'Spamouflage', including the use of accounts to pose as right-wing Americans.
March 27, 2024 | The Hill
Katherine Keneally on threats to officials, “deja vu” election denialism in Arizona
ISD’s Katherine Keneally spoke to The Hill about threats to officials in the swing state of Arizona leading up to the 2024 presidential election.
March 22, 2024 | Tagesschau
German far-right circles react to pro-democracy demonstrations triggered by a mass deportation plan
ISD's Solveig Barth speaks to Tagesschau Faktenfinder about a recent ISD investigation she co-authored analysing the tactics being used by the German far-right to delegitimise the pro-democracy demonstrations.
March 18, 2024 | NYT
Fake investigative journalists, Kremlin’s latest effort to discredit President Zelenskyy
The New York Times recently featured ISD research on pro-Kremlin fabrications aimed at discrediting Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and undermining support for Ukraine.
March 14, 2024 | RTÉ
Milo Comerford on the UK’s new extremism definition, its limitations and challenges
ISD's Milo Comerford speaks to RTÉ about the challenges and controversies surrounding the UK's new extremism definition.
March 14, 2024 | Euronews
Cécile Simmons on Andrew Tate’s arrest and the future of the ‘manosphere’
ISD’s Cécile Simmons spoke to Euronews about what Andrew Tate’s arrest could mean for the future of the ‘manosphere’.
February 28, 2024 | Euronews
Cécile Simmons on the rising trad wife movement and potential ties to extremist ideologies
ISD's Cécile Simmons spoke to Euronews about the rising trad wife movement, addressing its origins and the dangers of its narratives as potential gateways to white nationalist or supremacist ideologies.
February 23, 2024 | Deutsche Welle
President Zelenskyy, targeted by Russian information ops to undermine support for Ukraine
ISD Senior Analyst Julia Smirnova speaks to DW's Fact Check team about the multiple fake claims targeting President Zelenskyy in an attempt to weaken Western support for Ukraine.
February 21, 2024 | USA Today
Despite warnings and reports on deteriorating mental health, Maine shooter had access to guns
ISD's Katherine Keneally comments to USA Today about the October shooting in Maine and how despite various reports around the suspect, the US reservist still had access to firearms.
February 20, 2024 | Berliner Morgenpost
Farmers’ protests in Germany and and ideological connections to the far right
ISD research features in the Berliner Morgenpost and over a dozen other regional German daily newspapers, bringing insight on recent farmers' protests that have reached Germany and connections to far right ideology.
February 15, 2024 | NYT & WaPo
Pro-CCP influence campaign aims to sow division, portray chaos in US ahead of elections
The New York Times and the Washington Post feature our recent investigation on the pro-CCP influence campaign known as Spamouflage, its use of AI and how it may affect elections in the US and abroad.
February 13, 2024 | Irish Independent
Aoife Gallagher on what to do when coming across sensationalist headlines, “especially” immigration ones
ISD's Aoife Gallagher spoke to the Irish Independent about the circulation of an image of a doctored news headline claiming that an old office building in Ireland was to be used to house asylum seekers.
February 2, 2024 | USA Today
Suspect accused of beheading father may have been influenced by conspiracy theories
ISD's Katherine Keneally spoke to USA Today about the case against Justin Mohn, what is known about the suspect and the anti-government beliefs that may have motivated him.
February 1, 2024 | NPR
Nikki Haley faces escalating racist attacks as she emerges as Trump’s last GOP primary rival
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to All Things Considered about Trump's attacks against Nikki Haley's identity and how they're strategic, reflecting "broader attitudes held by his base voters."
February 1, 2024 | WIRED
Katherine Keneally on Justin Mohn: The case “illustrates the severity of the threat posed by anti-government extremism…”
ISD's Director of Threat Analysis and Prevention, Katherine Keneally, spoke to WIRED about the gruesome murder which might have been motivated by anti-government extremism.
January 30, 2024 | BBC Radio 4
Violent anti-immigrant riots in Dublin in November, fuelled by misinformation, hate and extremism
ISD Senior Analyst Ciarán O’Connor contributed to a BBC Radio 4 programme about the 23 November riots in Dublin city center following the stabbing of three children outside of a school.
January 28, 2024 | The Guardian
Cécile Simmons on France’s “dangerous game with abortion rights”
ISD's Cécile Simmons writes an op-ed for the Guardian, highlighting some of her recent research for ISD on anti-abortion groups in France and how these narratives may have been further validated with Macron's 'demographic rearmament' plan.
January 26, 2024 | The New Abnormal
‘Project 2025,’ what it is and what it could mean if Trump wins office
ISD Senior Research Analyst Jared Holt is a guest on the Daily Beast’s The New Abnormal podcast, discussing Project 2025, who is behind it and what is at stake.
January 23, 2024 | Sensemaker
The UK government bans Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir
ISD’s Rashad Ali is a guest on Tortoise Media’s Sensemaker, discussing the UK government’s recent decision to designate the Islamist group Hizb-ut Tahrir as a terrorist organisation.
January 21, 2024 | The Guardian
Hannah Rose on the connection between antisemitism and the targetting of LGBTQ+ people
ISD Analyst Hannah Rose spoke to the Guardian about the connection between an attack at a LGBTQ+ bar in Bratislava in October 2022, antisemitism and the 'Great Replacement' theory.
January 19, 2024 | Times
‘Cross-pollination’, far-right figures in Ireland and the UK influence each other on anti-immigrant activity
ISD Senior Analyst Ciarán O’Connor spoke to the Times about recent "cross-pollination" between far-right figures in Ireland and the UK on anti-immigrant stances, content and more.
January 18, 2024 | The Hill
Motives behind surge in ‘swatting’ incidents remains unclear
ISD's Katherine Keneally discusses recent 'swatting' incidents with the Hill, providing an overview about what is and isn't known about the threats, the various actors that use the tactic and the difficulties law enforcement faces in countering or prosecuting.
January 16, 2024 | ZDF
ISD’s Julia Ebner on reports of members of German far-right party participating in ‘secret’ planning of ‘mass deportation’
In an interview with ZDF's 'heute Journal', one of the leading German news shows, ISD's Julia Ebner discussed reports of AfD participating in a 'secret meeting' and why banning the party might not be the best solution.
January 3, 2024 | BBC
Generative AI advances shows clear need for laws to keep up with the shifting online extremism landscape
ISD speaks to BBC about the urgent need for legislation to keep up with online terrorist threats after a UK experiment reveals AI chatbots have the capacity to mimic extremist groups and recruit online users.
January 2, 2024 | iNews
How extremists may potentially use AI to further reach, recruitment
ISD’s Head of Policy and Research, Milo Comerford, speaks to iNews about the potential abuse of generative AI by extremists.
December 22, 2023 | NPR
Conspiracy theories and violent rhetoric following Colorado ballot ruling on Trump
ISD’s Katherine Keneally spoke to NPR about the increase in violent rhetoric and conspiracy theories online following the Colorado Supreme Court ruling on Trump's 2024 ballot eligibility.
December 19, 2023 | VICE
“Spamouflage”, pro-CCP network, targets West with AI images on Israel-Hamas conflict and shifts to US elections
VICE News covers a recent ISD investigation on a pro-CCP network using AI images and other tactics to promote anti-American sentiment abroad and deepen divides at home.
December 14, 2023 | NYT
Aoife Gallagher: Irish mis- and disinformation Telegram channels increased by 326% since 2020
ISD Senior Analyst Aoife Gallagher is featured in an op-ed for the New York Times about the rise of the far right in Ireland.
December 13, 2023 | NBC News
Civil rights lawsuit filed against neo-Nazi group for drag story hour protest
NBC News features ISD research on rising anti-LGBTQ+ mobilization in the US in an article on a recent lawsuit against a neo-Nazi group that allegedly disrupted a drag queen story hour in Hew Hampshire.
December 7, 2023 | CNN
Rising threats to public officials present challenges for the US Department of Justice
ISD’s Head of Threat Analysis and Prevention, Katherine Keneally, spoke to CNN about the rise in threats to public officials and the challenges in prosecuting them.
December 7, 2023 | NYT
Artificial Intelligence, the latest weapon in the Russian information operations playbook
The New York Times features ISD research on a coordinated campaign likely using content generated by ChatGPT to undermine support for Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny.
December 7, 2023 | WIRED
GOP presidential candidate validates the ‘Great Replacement’ conspiracy theory on the debate stage
ISD Senior Research Analyst Jared Holt spoke to WIRED about the implications of presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s reference to the ‘Great Replacement’ during a Republican presidential debate last week.
December 1, 2023 | VICE
Active Clubs, a growing threat in the US and Canada
VICE News features ISD’s report "Active Clubs: The Growing Threat of ‘White Nationalism 3.0’ across the United States."
November 27, 2023 | ABC News
Gaming platforms exploited to promote hate and violence among minors
ISD Senior Resident Research Fellow Julia Ebner features in ABC News’s Good Morning America discussing how popular gaming platforms are exploited to promote hatred and violence among minors.
November 24, 2023 | USA Today
Footage from Jan 6: Fuel for bad actors or fact-checking opportunity?
ISD's Jared Holt talks to USA Today about the release of new footage from the 2021 US Capitol riot and how it may provide additional context to clarify conspiracies around the attack.
November 24, 2023 | Irish Examiner
ISD’s Aoife Gallagher: Violent anti-immigrant riots in Dublin “shocking but predictable”
ISD Senior Analyst Aoife Gallagher spoke to the Irish Examiner about the anti-immigrant riots taking place in Dublin and explained how although shocking, they were predictable.
November 23, 2023 | NYT
Thousands of hours of recently released Jan 6 security footage being used to spread false narratives
ISD’s Head of Threat Analysis and Prevention, Katherine Keneally, spoke to the New York Times about the recent release of thousands of hours of Capitol security footage from January 6.
November 22, 2023 | Newtral
Wellness influencers shift toward anti-climate conspiracies as pandemic subsides
Spanish fact-checking outlet Newtral covers ISD's analysis of wellness influencers and their shift from anti-vaccine content to climate denial topics.
November 21, 2023 | Irish Times
The Irish mis- and disinformation ecosystem has grown and evolved since the pandemic
ISD’s recent reports ‘Uisce Faoi Thalamh: An Investigation into the Online Mis- and Disinformation Ecosystem in Ireland’ were featured in the Irish Times.
November 21, 2023 | CNN
“Letter to America” reaches 719M impressions across social media platforms
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad talks to CNN about the social phenomenon behind "Letter for America," a two-decade-old letter by Osama bin Laden that recently became a social media trend in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
November 17, 2023 | NBC News
Social media platforms breathe new life into the legacy of Osama bin Laden
ISD’s Isabelle Frances-Wright speaks to NBC Nightly News about how Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America” became popular on TikTok in the span of 48 hours and how social media platforms responded too late.
November 16, 2023 | iNews
Israel-Hamas conflict, a “field day” for extremist groups across the board
ISD's Jacob Davey spoke to iNews about extremists groups' varying reactions to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, describing it as a "field day."
November 15, 2023 | ABC News
US extremists seeking “to further divide or create violence” in support of Hamas
ISD’s research on the Israel-Hamas conflict was featured in ABC News along with commentary from ISD’s Executive Director at ISD for Africa, the Middle East and Africa (AMEA) Moustafa Ayad.
November 15, 2023 | NYT
AI in election campaigns: Argentinian presidential candidates give it a first run
ISD's Head of Technology and Society, Isabelle Frances-Wright, spoke with the NYT about the complications around the extensive use of AI in Argentina's elections.
November 9, 2023 | AP News
Federal trial begins for David DePape, alleged conspiracy theorist accused of attacking Paul Pelosi
Ahead of the court date, ISD's Katherine Keneally spoke to AP News about how the attack is an example of the increasing rise in online hate and conspiracies and how these can influence political violence.
November 8, 2023 | Cosmopolitan
Cécile Simmons: ‘I debunk wellness misinformation for a living… So, why did I fall for it?’
ISD's Cécile Simmons shares her own experience falling for wellness misinformation with Cosmopolitan in an op-ed.
November 5, 2023 | CBS News
Antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate speech surges online following Hamas’ terrorist attack
ISD's Hannah Rose speaks to CBS' Face the Nation about our investigations on the rise of online antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate speech following Hamas' terrorist attack.
November 3, 2023 | NYT
Russia, China and Iran’s online approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict
Our investigation on Russia, China and Iran's role in the information war surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict features in the New York Times.
October 31, 2023 | Euronews
Online antisemitism soars, with a 51-fold surge in antisemitic YouTube comments following Hamas’ attack
Euronews covers ISD's investigation on the rise in online antisemitism on both mainstream and fringe social media platforms following Hamas’ terrorist attack on 7 October.
October 25, 2023 | Euronews
China, Russia and Iran are exploiting the Israel-Hamas conflict for their benefit
Euronews covers our recent ISD investigation on China, Russia, and Iran's exploitation of the current information chaos surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict in order to further their geopolitical agendas.
October 18, 2023 | NYT
Graphic images of Israel-Hamas conflict being served to children online; mostly on Instagram
Our study on the accessibility of graphic and violent material by accounts set up as minors on Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok is covered by the New York Times.
October 18, 2023 | NYT
Pro-Hamas, Terrorist content racks up millions of views on X
ISD analysts found that in one 24-hour period, a sample of pro-Hamas posts reached over 16M views on X despite the majority violating the platform's policies.
October 17, 2023 | Le Figaro
Why the flag found among Hamas equipment isn’t necessarily Islamic State
Moustafa Ayad, ISD's Executive Director of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, spoke to French newspaper Le Figaro about the differences between Hamas and Islamic State.
October 16, 2023 | POLITICO
Far left, far right antisemitism likely to rise amid Israel-Hamas conflict
In light of recent pro-Palestine protests, POLITICO features our Explainer on far-left antisemitism, explaining how there has been a long history of conflating Jews, Zionism and Israel among political circles.
October 15, 2023 | NPR
Disinformation around climate change largely targeting solutions, not denying global warming
ISD's Jennie King spoke to NPR about the targeting of climate solutions, specifically as seen in the trajectory of the 15-minute city urban planning model.
October 10, 2023 | The Moscow Times
The role of Tucker Carlson in Russian state media’s propaganda strategy
Tucker Carlson doesn't work for or with Russian state media. Yet his clips are constantly pushed in Russia. ISD's Elise Thomas writes an op-ed for the Moscow Times on the dynamics between the two and why Carlson is "much better" at promoting divisive, polarising views.
October 10, 2023 | NPR
Social media platforms inundated with unverified claims about Israel and Gaza
ISD's Executive Director for Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Moustafa Ayad, spoke to NPR about the dangers in unverified sources being left to gain traction freely online in the middle of an information void.
October 9, 2023 | Newtral
Europol and EU leads removal of over 2,000 terrorist content posts on TikTok
In reporting the latest effort against terrorist and violent extremist content on TikTok, Spanish outlet Newtral cites an ISD investigation on terrorist glorification content and the continued failures by the platform in mitigating these threats.
September 16, 2023 | RNZ
Julia Ebner on the ‘conspiracy mentality’: How it starts and how it evolves
ISD’s Julia Ebner spoke to RNZ about how extremist ideas and conspiracy mentalities are becoming mainstream and what is causing it.
September 13, 2023 | NDR
Huberta von Voss and Julia Ebner discuss freedom of the press, the far right and conspiracy theories
ISD Germany's Executive Director, Huberta von Voss, and extremism expert Julia Ebner feature in a special broadcast discussing freedom of the press, the far right and conspiracy theories.
September 12, 2023 | The Irish Examiner
Anti-LGBTQ+ protests in Ireland shift focus from libraries to schools, curriculums and educators
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor writes an opinion piece for the Irish Examiner on the recent shift among anti-LGBTQ+ protestors towards schools and educators in light of a rollout of the updated relationship and sexuality education (RSE) curriculum.
September 8, 2023 | BBC Newsnight
Julia Ebner on UK counter-terrorism strategy: Prisons are in “dire” state, more to do in deradicalisation space
Julia joins BBC Newsnight to speak about the UK's prison system and counter-terrorism strategy in light of the Wandsworth prison escape of Daniel Khalife.
September 7, 2023 | GNET
GNET’s conspiracy theories series: Policy challenges, gaps and how to fill them
In this article for GNET's miniseries on conspiracy theories, ISD Analyst Hannah Rose outlines the commonalities and gaps in policy approaches to combatting violent conspiracy theory networks and offers recommendations on how to strengthen social media and government approaches.
September 7, 2023 | Sky News
How the Proud Boys evolved from a “boys drinking club” into the extremist group behind January 6
ISD Senior Research Manager Katherine Keneally speaks to Sky News about the evolution of the Proud Boys before and after the January 6 insurrection.
September 6, 2023 | GNET
GNET’s conspiracy theories series: The role of culture, community behind conspiracy-linked violence
In this article for GNET's miniseries on conspiracy theories, ISD Senior Analyst Elise Thomas outlines the key elements of violent conspiracy theories – culture, community and narratives.
September 6, 2023 | Financial Times
Digital currencies and cashless societies, the new target of conspiracy theories
ISD’s Aoife Gallagher and Julia Ebner spoke to the Financial Times about how digital currencies and cashless societies are discussed within conspiratorial communities.
September 6, 2023 | Sky News
State of US extremism could “change really quickly” in the run-up to the 2024 general elections
ISD’s Senior Research Manager Jared Holt spoke to Sky News about the state of extremism in the United States following the sentencing of the Proud Boys' leader, Enrique Tarrio.
September 5, 2023 | GNET
GNET’s conspiracy theories series: The diverse manifestations of conspiracy-linked violence
In the second article for GNET's miniseries on conspiracy theories, ISD's Milo Comerford focuses on the diverse violent outcomes of conspiracy beliefs.
September 4, 2023 | GNET
GNET’s conspiracy theories series: Why and when conspiracy beliefs lead to violence
In the first article of GNET's mini series on conspiracies, Jakob Guhl explains why and when conspiracy beliefs lead to violence.
September 4, 2023 | NPR
Jared Holt speaks to NPR about how a country song became the anthem of the far right
ISD’s senior researcher Jared Holt spoke to NPR about the country song ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ and the far-right figures attaching themselves to it.
September 2, 2023 | BBC
Katherine Keneally: Proud Boys’ sentencings have deterred Jan 6-style actions, but group has shifted focus
ISD’s Katherine Keneally spoke to the BBC about the recent sentencing of members of the Proud Boys related to their activities on January 6, noting that while this is an important step in accountability, more needs to be done.
September 1, 2023 | CNN
Meta fails to remove content glorifying the Wagner Group, contradicting its platform’s policies
ISD’s recent dispatch on content glorifying the Wagner Group circulating on Meta platforms featured on CNN, Euronews, Foreign Policy, and the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
September 1, 2023 | Bloomberg
Wildfires in Hawaii – when wildfires burn, the clouds of misinformation rise
Following recent wildfires in Hawaii, social media has been awash with climate denial and conspiracy theories. ISD's Head of Climate Research and Policy, Jennie King, talks to Bloomberg about how this fits into wider trends of wildfire misinformation.
August 30, 2023 | NYT
Jennie King: Climate denialism traps everyone in “antechamber of discussion” arguing about credibility rather than action
ISD’s Jennie King spoke to the NYT about the proliferation of conspiracy theories following this summer's natural disasters.
August 25, 2023 | El Mundo
How COVID-19 denialism morphed into climate delayism and more
ISD’s Head of Climate Research and Policy, Jennie King, features in El Mundo commenting on the build out of COVID-19 conspiracists into the world of climate conspiracy and misinformation.
August 23, 2023 | USA Today
The far rights’ “muted reactions” on the anti-LGTBQ+ shooting in California
ISD’s Jared Holt spoke to USA Today about a recent anti-LGBTQ+ shooting in Lake Arrowhead, California, and the reactions to it, or lack thereof, across far-right channels.
August 22, 2023 | The Hill
Katherine Keneally: Threats against public officials likely to rise further in the run-up to November 2024
ISD's Katherine Keneally spoke to The Hill about the rise in threats against public officials and how this is likely to increase in the lead up to the 2024 presidential elections.
August 20, 2023 | Euronews
Jennie King: Climate change policy in the UK is feeding into “cultural confrontation and identity politics”
ISD’s Head of Climate Research and Policy, Jennie King, speaks to Euronews about the weaponisation of the climate crisis and how it has become central for the so-called ‘culture wars’ in UK politics.
August 18, 2023 | CNN
Jared Holt on new images of Trump’s lawyer following Alex Jones around on Jan. 6
ISD’s Jared Holt comments on new CNN evidence placing Trump’s lawyer Kenneth Chesebro at the Insurrection riots following Alex Jones around the Capitol grounds.
August 15, 2023 | WIRED
Sasha Havlicek on reactions against public interest research: “Who’s the censor now?”
ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek spoke with WIRED about the backlash of abusive tweets ISD received for our findings on antisemitic content on Twitter following Elon Musk's takeover of the platform.
August 11, 2023 | Rolling Stone
Jared Holt: “‘I’m just joking’ is a lazy defense for creating harmful content”
Jared Holt spoke to Rolling Stone about homesteading content creator Wranglerstar and his switch to more extreme content, pushing back on the repeated excuses with which creators attempt to deflect blame.
August 11, 2023 | NPR
Americans resorting to violence to solve differences, officials in the crosshairs
ISD’s Katherine Keneally speaks to NPR about the current threat landscape in the US following the death of a Utah man who was being arrested by FBI agents.
August 2, 2023 | NBC News
World’s second largest coffee chain becomes the target of an anti-LGBTQ+ campaign
NBC News references our research findings on anti-LGBTQ+ discourse in the US and how it is being replicated in countries around the world.
July 31, 2023 | The Guardian
Julia Ebner: Is it too late to stop democracies from being taken over by conspiratorial thinking?
ISD Senior Resident Research Fellow Julia Ebner wrote an op-ed for The Guardian about how conspiracy thinking has seeped into the mainstream and what Western democracies can do to push back.
July 30, 2023 | NYT
Video games, the new backdrop for the Russian information war
ISD’s Jacob Davey was interviewed by The New York Times about how pro-Kremlin actors are using video game platforms to reach vulnerable young audiences.
July 29, 2023 | The Times
Profile on Julia Ebner for The Times: “My life undercover” infiltrating extremist groups
ISD’s Senior Resident Research Fellow Julia Ebner was interviewed by The Times about her research career and her latest book on the mainstreaming of extremist ideologies.
July 25, 2023 | 20 Minutes
The intersection of anti-feminism and the tradwife movement
ISD's Cécile Simmons spoke to 20 Minutes about the anti-feminist tones of the tradwife movement, how it's gone under the radar, and the internationalisation of it all.
July 21, 2023 | VICE
‘Sustainability’ festival cancelled after activists expose it as a conspiracy theorist event
ISD’s Ciarán O’Connor features in VICE speaking about the Irish ‘Think Local Festival’ that was cancelled after its organisers were exposed as being behind recent high-profile anti-LGBTQ+ protests.
July 18, 2023 | CNN
UAE’s Presidency of COP28: A commitment to renewable energies or an opportunity for greenwashing?
ISD’s Jennie King spoke to CNN about the implications of UAE hosting COP28.
July 14, 2023 | El País
Q&A with Julia Ebner: We’re at the beginning of the “digital Middle Ages”
Julia Ebner speaks to El País's Jordi Pérez Colomé about gateways into extremist ideology, technology's role in mainstreaming extremism and her new book Going Mainstream: How Extremists are Taking Over.
July 11, 2023 | Deutsche Welle
Jennie King: Climate denial content removal policies are unenforceable, demonetisation is the solution
ISD’s Head of Climate Research, Jennie King, featured in Deutsche Welle talking about what makes climate mis- and disinformation thrive on social media platforms, and what solutions tech companies should and should not adopt.
July 9, 2023 |
Can Meta deliver on its promise of making Threads a “kinder” alternative to Twitter?
ISD’s Head of Research, Melanie Smith, speaks to The Guardian about right-wing figures signing up for Threads, Meta's "kinder" alternative to Twitter.
July 2, 2023 | The Daily Beast
Moms for Liberty rejects SPLC’s ‘extremist’ designation during summit engulfed in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric
In an op-ed for the Daily Beast, ISD’s Jared Holt reflects on the Republican presidential hopefuls that attended the recent Moms for Liberty summit in Philadelphia, a group that was recently designated as 'extremist' by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
July 1, 2023 | Abendblatt
Pro-Kremlin network targets young people in Germany via TikTok, YouTube and more
ISD's Julia Smirnova features in the German daily Hamburger Abendblatt commenting on an ISD investigation that uncovered the latest network linked to EU-banned Russian State media outlet Sputnik.
June 30, 2023 | BBC
TikTok fails to enforce content removal of climate change-denial videos, BBC investigation finds
ISD's Jennie King speaks with the BBC on their recent investigation on TikTok's content removal policy relating to videos climate mis- and disinformation.
June 29, 2023 | The JC
Four trends explaining the spread of antisemitism from fringe internet corners to the “political middle”
ISD’s Senior Research Fellow, Julia Ebner, writes an op-ed for the JC about what she observed during her undercover investigation among online extremist and conspiracist groups in the process of writing her latest book ‘Going Mainstream: How Extremists are Taking Over.’
June 28, 2023 | The Atlantic
Telegram, the app of choice for following Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia’s War in Ukraine
ISD Senior Research Manager, Jared Holt, spoke to the Atlantic about how Telegram became central to follow developments on Russian ground, most recently, Yevgeny Prigozhin's revolt.
June 23, 2023 | ABC, NBC, more
ISD report finds global rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate and extremism, with US leading in incidents
Our investigation on anti-drag mobilisation, A Year of Hate, received extensive coverage from various US and international outlets.
June 22, 2023 | The Guardian
UK’s anti-LGBTQ+ mobilisation is drawing on US trends and narratives against drag performances
ISD’s Tim Squirrell wrote an op-ed for The Guardian about the increase in protests and threats against all-ages drag shows in the UK and its connections to the anti-LGBTQ+ narratives and actions in the US.
June 14, 2023 | The Narwhal
Canada’s wildfires, the latest climate topic to be “weaponised” under identity politics and cultural discourse
ISD’s Jennie King speaks to The Narwhal about climate misinformation surrounding Canada’s wildfires and its alignment with broader global dis- and misinformation trends.
June 13, 2023 | NPR
Jared Holt: large protests “likely” ahead of Trump’s arraignment, but no indication of Jan 6-level activity
ISD’S Jared Holt speaks to NPR, BBC, The Daily Beast, and USA Today about ISD online monitoring ahead of Trump’s arraignment this Tuesday at a Miami courthouse.
June 9, 2023 | Charlie Hebdo
Droite au Coeur, the far-right dating website for “patriotic singles” in France
ISD Research Manager Cécile Simmons features in French publication Charlie Hebdo commenting on how a recently launched dating website in France is another avenue for the far-right into "public space."
June 8, 2023 | WaPo
Jared Holt: Trump’s tactics have “lowered the guard” among Americans against violent messaging
ISD's Jared Holt tells the Washington Post that Donald Trump has sold himself to supporters as a vehicle for dissent against US political systems and explained how in the process extremists have been able to merge with mainstream audiences.
June 6, 2023 | VICE News
One in 5 young people in the UK have a positive view of Andrew Tate, percentages higher among minorities
ISD's Tim Squirrell features in VICE News commenting on the results of a recent poll on over 1,200 young people in the UK, surveying their views on Andrew Tate.
May 29, 2023 | Rappler
How a local traffic plan in Oxford was weaponised to advance anti-climate narratives
ISD's Jennie King features in Rappler commenting on how protests and conspiracy theories in the English town of Oxford spread globally, and what this case study tells us about broader misinformation attacks on the climate agenda.
May 28, 2023 | The Hill
Engage or enrage: Sasha Havlicek on addressing bipartisan distrust in “curated speech environments”
ISD's CEO, Sasha Havlicek, writes an op-ed for The Hill about mutual distrust towards tech platforms across the US political aisle and three ways this can be addressed.
May 28, 2023 | Tagesschau
Disinfo narratives are redundant in Erdogan’s Turkey, “have more reach abroad”
Resident Senior Fellow Rashad Ali speaks to Tagesschau about Turkey’s recent elections, and why disinformation narratives from both the ruling party and the opposition had little domestic impact.
May 27, 2023 | CNN
Conspiracy theorists channeling confusion, anger toward meteorologists in Spain
ISD's Head of Climate Research and Policy, Jennie King, speaks to CNN about why conspiracists are increasingly targeting meteorologists and climate institutions around the world.
May 22, 2023 |
The international far right is “capitalising” on local protests against asylum seekers in Clare, Ireland
ISD’s Ciarán O'Connor features on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland speaking about how international right-wing extremists have capitalised on local protests against accommodations for asylum seekers in Clare, a Western Irish town.
May 19, 2023 | Irish Examiner
Tim Squirrell: A perceived “status threat” is pushing young men toward misogynistic content
ISD’s Tim Squirrell speaks to The Irish Examiner about the rise of anti-feminist social media influencers and ‘Red Pill’ online content among young men.
May 9, 2023 | Axios
US extremists gathering on Russian social media sites
ISD Senior Research Manager Jared Holt spoke to Axios about US political extremists and their overlap with Russian social media platforms.
May 9, 2023 | GNET
ISD’s Jakob Guhl for GNET: White Christian extremism on Telegram, ‘Christgram’
ISD Senior Manager for Policy & Research, Jakob Guhl, contributes to the Global Network on Extremism and Technology's (GNET) mini series on Christian Nationalism.
May 5, 2023 | USA Today
Seditious conspiracy charges against Proud Boys brings a “welcomed chilling effect”
ISD's Katherine Keneally speaks to USA Today about the conviction of the Proud Boys' Henry "Enrique" Tarrio and three other co-defendents for seditious conspiracy charges relating to the insurrection.
May 4, 2023 | TIME
Jack Teixeira, the latest US service member to expose the digital ‘blind spot’ in the security clearance process
ISD Senior OSINT Analyst Elise Thomas features in TIME commenting on the case of Jack Teixeira, the US Air National Guardsman that leaked classified military documents through online forums last month.
May 1, 2023 | Newsweek
Anti-vaxx Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Democratic bid for president
ISD researchers Aoife Gallagher and Clara Martiny feature in Newsweek's profile on anti-vaxx Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as he challenges president Joe Biden for the nomination.
April 15, 2023 | USA Today
Discord, a common denominator in various high-profile incidents of extremism
USA Today draws on ISD's research on right-wing extremism among gamers on Discord.
April 13, 2023 | TIME
In contrast to the US and the EU, Latin American politicians are fully embracing TikTok
ISD's Head of Elections and Digital Integrity, Jiore Craig, spoke to TIME about the disconnect being seen across countries regarding TikTok.
April 12, 2023 | WIRED
Netherlands fights back and holds conspiracists accountable in the case Bodegraven
ISD's Ciaran O'Connor offers insights to WIRED on the case of Micha Kat, a Dutch national recently jailed on charges of sedition after orchestrating a QAnon-related campaign.
April 6, 2023 | Sky News
YouTube Shorts’ suggesting banned-Andrew Tate’s content to young boys
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to Sky News in aid of an investigation which found that Andrew Tate is being pushed on to the social media feeds of young boys by algorithms.
April 4, 2023 | BBC
UK-registered media company likely ‘information laundering’ for Russia
ISD's Moustafa Ayad teamed up with the BBC to look into Yala News, a UK-registered media company that appears to be spreading video versions of Russian-state propaganda.
April 3, 2023 | CNN
Officials react to online chatter of Trump protest ahead of former president’s arraignment in NY
ISD's Katherine Keneally spoke to CNN about one of the narratives dissuading pro-Trump supporters to react on the former president's behalf ahead of his arraignment.
April 2, 2023 | NPR
A new take at an old conspiracy: “In this iteration, ‘they’ are going to make you eat bugs”
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor shares insights with NPR on the spread of conspiracies about eating bugs that has become increasingly prevalent on social media in recent months.
April 1, 2023 | NPR, NBC
Pro-Trump communities react “unenthusiastically” at news of Trump indictment
ISD's Jared Holt features in NPR and NBC News commenting on how the indictment news has been received, mostly unenthusiastically, among pro-Trump communities online.
March 30, 2023 | The Journal
Far right attempts to exploit rumor in Irish town and cause a “moral panic” against migrants
ISD's Aoife Gallagher spoke to the Journal about the tactics of Irish anti-immigration activists, including their focus on spreading unverified and often false stories about crimes committed by migrants.
March 28, 2023 | NYT
Climate sceptics direct anger, death threats at professor who created the 15-minute city concept
ISD's Explainer on the narratives fuelling so-called 'climate lockdowns' is featured in the New York Times, along with commentary by our Head of Climate Research & Policy, Jennie King.
March 26, 2023 | BBC
Patriotic Alternative looks to stir local sentiments of Welsh town against asylum seekers
ISD's Tim Squirrell contributed to a BBC article discussing a Welsh town's pushback against the influence of white nationalist group Patriotic Alternative.
March 22, 2023 | VICE News
De-radicalising incels out of the ‘manosphere’ through Reddit
ISD's Tim Squirrell gave comment to VICE about a new study of 'incel exit' communities.
March 21, 2023 | VICE News
Incel and extremist content, just a search away on TikTok
ISD's Tim Squirrell and Ciarán O'Connor spoke to VICE News about the little that has changed regarding incel content on TikTok in the last two years, and just how easy it is for users to come across this content.
March 16, 2023 | VICE News
Dozens of videos praising Christchurch attack found on TikTok on 4-year anniversary
ISD's rapid investigation on terrorist content on TikTok, done in light of the 4-year anniversary of Christchurch massacre, is covered by VICE News.
March 15, 2023 | TG4
Extremist language choices and false information fuelling dynamic against immigrants in Ireland
In this documentary for TG4, ISD's Ciarán O'Connor provides commentary and research insights into the rise of the anti-immigration movement in Ireland.
March 2, 2023 | Bloomberg
Conspiratorial opposition to 15-minute cities in UK draws on anti-government “architecture”
ISD's Milo Comerford features in Bloomberg discussing how local opposition to '15-minute' cities in Oxford (UK) has been weaponised by extremists movements, building on the “architectures” of anti-government activism.
February 27, 2023 | CNN
Conspiracy on 15-minute cities may have worrying, long-term impacts on climate action
ISD's Jennie King spoke to CNN about the origin of the 15-minute city conspiracy and why it's causing such an uproar on social media.
February 24, 2023 | Euronews Green
News sources may be influencing perception of climate activism among public
ISD’s recent Dispatch on alt- and mainstream media climate activism headlines is covered extensively by Euronews Green.
February 24, 2023 | VICE News
Tim Squirrell: Andrew Tate’s appeal to boys and young men is “not going away”
ISD's Tim Squirrell features in VICE News speaking on the phenomenon around Andrew Tate and his popularity among boys and young men.
February 23, 2023 | Sky News
‘Smash-and-grab’ Russian-origin accounts flood Meta platforms with Ukraine war disinformation
ISD's Tim Squirrell features in Sky News commenting on findings from Meta's quarterly adversarial threat report.
February 23, 2023 | ABC News
Tim Squirrell: Meta’s conclusions on pro-Kremlin online campaigns “difficult” to assess
ISD's Tim Squirrell features in ABC News commenting on Meta's report on the evolution of pro-Russia online campaigns since the war began.
February 21, 2023 | ARD
Putin’s annual address filled with conspiracies over war in Ukraine
ISD's Julia Smirnova comments on Putin's annual address to the nation to German broadcaster ARD.
February 17, 2023 | Popular Science
Media coverage on AI chatbots fail to report on larger issues at play with public rollouts
ISD Senior Research Manager Jared Holt argues against recent media coverage and mainstream discussion on AI chatbots missing the mark on the larger issues at play and the risk involved with the way these products were being rolled out to the public.
February 12, 2023 | The Guardian
Andrew Tate-style misogyny falls through the cracks of current UK counterextremism policy
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to The Guardian about how Andrew Tate-style misogyny is "falling through the cracks" of current UK counter-extremism policy.
February 10, 2023 | Irish Examiner
TikTok videos of migrants being attacked or harassed trend in Ireland
ISD's analysis of trending anti-migrant TikTok videos in Ireland is covered by the Irish Examiner and Irish broadcaster RTÉ during Prime Time.
February 9, 2023 | NHK
Kevin D. Reyes on ISD’s work in tracking Paul Pelosi’s alleged attacker’s conspiratorial footprint
ISD's Kevin D. Reyes features in NHK's coverage on US political violence speaking on ISD's quick mobilization in tracking Paul Pelosi's alleged attackers digital footprint, and what it revealed about his views.
February 9, 2023 | CSM
Hunter Biden laptop controversy exposes greater issues on transparency and disinformation
ISD's Anthony DeAngelo comments on the greater issue behind the Hunter Biden laptop conspiracy.
February 6, 2023 | The Hill
GOP ‘Twitter Files’ hearing: Republicans gear up to attack content moderation decisions
It's in the interest of both parties to be “looking for ways to ensure full trust and faith in the internet’s public square,” said ISD's Anthony DeAngelo.
February 1, 2023 | VICE
The incel Wiki page, a clean slate or a recruitment attempt?
Report co-author Tim Squirrell features in VICE News speaking about the findings of a recent ISD investigation on the incel Wiki page.
January 30, 2023 | AFP
Russian cartoon propaganda linked to paramilitary Wagner group is spreading in Africa
ISD's Zoé Fourel features in an article for French international news agency AFP discussing cartoon videos part of a Russian propaganda operation targeting African audiences.
January 28, 2023 | NYT
Trump’s Meta accounts to be reinstated, but has his online behaviour changed?
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to the New York Times about former President Donald Trump's social media behaviour on Truth Social in the wake of Meta's announcement that they'd soon be reinstating his accounts.
January 23, 2023 | New Statesman
Andrew Tate’s misogynistic views aren’t unique, but are part of a bigger trend
ISD's Milo Comerford features in the New Statesman speaking about the 'manosphere', misogyny and how online culture has prompted figures like recently arrested Andrew Tate to gain prominence.
January 21, 2023 | NPR
Gas stoves become politicized in the US among conservatives and partisan media
ISD's Jared Holt spoke with NPR about the alarmist surge in online rhetoric defending gas stoves following comments on health concerns by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
January 19, 2023 | Virgin News
Aoife Gallagher on how far-right language is playing into anti-asylum seeker sentiment
ISD's Aoife Gallagher joined Virgin Media News' show The Group Chat, talking about the anti-asylum seeker protests that have been taking place across Ireland.
January 19, 2023 | AP
ISD report: Climate denialism & delayism surges online during COP27 despite platform policies
ISD's Jennie King spoke to AP News about the state of climate mis- and disinformation online in the months surrounding the UN Climate Conference in Egypt.
January 17, 2023 | Framasoft
Framasoft responds to ISD study on PeerTube: No to fascists & conspiracy manipulators
Framasoft, the non-profit developer of PeerTube, responds to ISD Germany's study mapping right-wing extremist use of their software, a decentralised alternative to YouTube.
January 17, 2023 | VICE News
Children are mimicking a hand gesture linked to misogynist influencer Andrew Tate
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to VICE World News about the context behind schoolchildren mimicking a gesture made by misogynist influencer Andrew Tate.
January 16, 2023 | Podcast
ISD’s Jennie King on climate becoming the latest pillar of culture wars
ISD's Jennie King speaks with Ed Miliband about the evolving climate mis- and disinformation trends and the direct threat this poses to climate action in 2023.
January 14, 2023 | The Irish Times
Polarising language and nativism narratives is shaping the discussing around asylum seekers in Ireland
ISD researchers Ciarán O'Connor and Aoife Gallagher wrote an op-ed for the Irish Times focussing on asylum-seeker protests in Ireland, and how language and grievances are being weaponised against immigrants.
January 12, 2023 | Audible
Ciarán O’Connor joins Audible investigation on the Squid Game crypto scam
Investigative Technology Journalist Janhoi McGregor enlisted ISD Senior Analyst Ciarán O'Connor for an investigation on the Squid Game crypto scam.
January 11, 2023 | The Guardian
Tim Squirrell: COVID-19 conspiracies were a gateway for many to other extremist views
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to the Guardian about the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on extremism, hate and conspiracy, for an article exploring how the pandemic became a gateway to extreme views for so many.
January 9, 2023 | Bloomberg
Social media giants fall short in Brazil, once again exposing the inequity in mitigating threats to elections
ISD's Jiore Craig spoke to Bloomberg about the role of social media monitoring, or lack of, in the amplification of dangerous fraud theories in international elections.
January 6, 2023 | USA Today
Two years since Jan 6 Capitol riot, extremist groups continue to find common ground to move forward
ISD Senior Research Manager Jared Holt spoke to USA Today about the state of extremism in the US on the two-year anniversary of the Capitol riot.
January 2, 2023 | USA Today
All-age drag shows, the latest target in the US’s culture war
In the world's current political climate, men dressing as women is the latest controversy to lead to heavy polarization.
December 30, 2022 | BBC
Pandemic prompted an increase in conspiratorial thinking, online extremism
ISD's Tim Squirrell and Jacob Davey feature in the BBC speaking on the increase in online extremism that has gone hand-in-hand with the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 29, 2022 | WaPo
Extremists attempted to justify the mass shooting in Colorado with anti-LGBTQ discourse
ISD's Moustafa Ayad comments on the influx of far-right groups and influencers attempting 'to justify the mass shooting' on social media following the attack at Club Q.
December 28, 2022 | Balkan Insight
Salafi-jihadist groups adapt to social media security measures in order to keep up online propaganda
ISD's Simeon Dukić spoke to the Balkan Insight about how Salafi-jihadist groups are changing their online propaganda tactics to target Albanian speakers in North Macedonia.
December 22, 2022 | Grid News
Jakob Guhl: QAnon and Reichsbürger movements are “perfectly compatible”
Jakob Guh spoke to GRID about the interplay between QAnon and Reichsbürger narratives in Germany.
December 22, 2022 | Arete News
ISD’s Francesca Arcostanzo talks BEAM, disinformation research and monitoring major world events
ISD's Francesca Arcostanzo features in Arete News speaking about our award-winning tool BEAM and how its been used to monitor major events around the world.
December 20, 2022 | The Guardian
Conspiracists resort to ‘cover-up’ narratives regarding deadly police shoot out in Australia
Elise Thomas spoke to The Guardian about the 'cover-up' conspiracies that began to emerge online in the days following the deadly police shoot-out in Australia.
December 19, 2022 | Yahoo News
Major e-commerce sites profiting and facilitating the sale of extremist-themed merchandise
Yahoo News covered ISD's findings on how major e-commerce sites facilitate and profit from the sale of products promoting hate and extremism.
December 14, 2022 | Metro Weekly
Is the Colorado shooter “trolling” the LGBTQ community?
ISD's Clara Martiny comments on the Colorado shooter's pronoun choice could be a way of further "marginalizing" and "dehumanizing" the LGBTQ community.
December 13, 2022 | NBC News
Scepticism around the Colorado shooting suspect’s pronoun choice
ISD's Jared Holt spoke with NBC News about the "immediate" scepticism he felt when he heard the suspect behind the Colorado shooting at an LGBTQ club had identified as nonbinary.
December 12, 2022 | VICE News
The plot to overthrow the German government, explained
Jakob Guhl explains the plot to overthrow the German government, and its links to the QAnon conspiracy theory.
December 11, 2022 | The Journal
Conspiracists re-formulate science denial narratives against RSV
Researchers Aoife Gallagher and Clara Martiny's recent Dispatch on conspiracy communities using predictable tactics to spread falsehoods about RSV features in The Journal.
December 9, 2022 | The 19th
Instagram & TikTok suggested abusive hashtags related to US female candidates, ISD finds
ISD's latest investigation on the 2022 US midterms found that TikTok and Instagram were prompting abusive hashtags to users searching for female political candidates.
December 9, 2022 | Reuters
A judge, an aristocrat & other high society members among suspects arrested over coup plot in Germany
ISD's Jakob Guhl provided commentary to Reuters on last week's Reichsbürger raid that led to the arrest of 25 suspects on alleged plans to overthrow the German government.
December 8, 2022 | Newsweek
Russian connection to foiled coup plot to overthrow the German government
ISD Research Manager Jakob Guhl provided some context to Newsweek in their investigation on the Reichsbürger group's connections to Russia.
December 4, 2022 | Euronews
UK census reveals a drop in Christianity in England & Wales, far-right reacts
ISD's Tim Squirrell and Milo Comerford spoke to Euronews about the response of the far-right to census data indicating that Christianity is no longer the majority religion in the UK.
December 4, 2022 | Insider
Celebrity deaths increasingly linked to conspiracies since the pandemic
ISD's Aoife Gallagher spoke to Insider about conspiratorial communities' fixation on celebrities, the recent blending of theories, and recurring themes.
November 30, 2022 | i News
The dark world of incels, what to know and how to help
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to i News about incels, the signs an individual might exhibit when being drawn into this subculture, and how concerned family and loved ones can help bring them out again.
November 27, 2022 | Franceinfo
ISD’s Zoé Fourel on the infiltration of ‘femonationalists’ in the French feminist movement
ISD's Zoé Fourel speaks to Franceinfo on the infiltration of "Collectif Nemisis" in the November Nous toutes demonstration, a protest that convenes once a year to denounce sexist and sexual violence.
November 21, 2022 | Euro News
Jennie King on climate disinfo since Elon Musk’s takeover: “We were beginning to make progress”
ISD's Jennie King shares with Euro News some worrying observations about climate mis- and disinformation on Twitter since Elon Musk's takeover.
November 21, 2022 | Axios
Voter denialism hasn’t disappeared, but not “exciting people” like in 2020
ISD's Senior Research Manager Jared Holt spoke with Axios about how denialism narratives played out during the US midterms earlier this month.
November 21, 2022 | Mother Jones
Anti-vaxxers switch focus to RSV, related vaccine
ISD's Aoife Gallagher spoke to Mother Jones about the latest pivot from the anti-vaccine and COVID-denial community in the US.
November 16, 2022 | Yahoo News
Election denialism fails to yield results for Republicans in the US midterms
ISD's Jiore Craig spoke to Yahoo News about the importance of keeping watch over election denialism trends.
November 11, 2022 | MIT
Twitter’s potential demise puts archive of world’s digital history at stake
Analyst's Ciarán O'Connor and Elise Thomas feature in MIT's Technology Review discussing Twitter’s potential collapse, and the implications for digital and human history.
November 11, 2022 | iNews
Anthony DeAngelo: election deniers “are playing the long game” on the road to 2024
ISD's Anthony DeAngelo features in UK's iNews speaking on the 2022 primaries, the impact of election deniers and what to expected for 2024.
November 11, 2022 | MSNBC
NBA star Kyrie Irving’s Amazon searches led him down an antisemitic rabbit hole
MSNBC draws on ISD's report on how Amazon searches can steer users toward racist and other extremist material.
November 9, 2022 | Bloomberg
ISD’s Jiore Craig: reconsider what you share online, “slow down”
ISD's Jiore Craig joined Bloomberg's Emily Chang to discuss the 'long game' for election deniers, combatting mis- and disinformation, and the future of Twitter.
November 9, 2022 | POLITICO
Election conspiracists set fraud foundation ahead of the US midterms
ISD provided research and commentary to POLITICO on local election fraud narratives that were spreading ahead of the US midterms.
November 6, 2022 | POLITICO
Climate delayism narratives resurface to distract from COP27 efforts
ISD's Jennie King told POLITICO that the far right's focus this year has been "turbo charged" by the energy crisis, 'which populists have wrongly argued is the fault of green policy.'
November 6, 2022 | BBC
ISD research features in BBC investigation on election misinformation
BBC's Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent Marianna Spring led an investigation across major social media platforms under 5 personas meant to represent a voter on the US political spectrum.
November 5, 2022 | NYT
Non-profit researchers pick up social media platforms’ slack ahead of Election Day in the US
ISD's Jiore Craig spoke to the NYT about the state of play on YouTube, and how misinformation often goes undetected on the platform due to its video-first nature and lack of resourcing by tech giants.
November 4, 2022 | WaPo
Twitter layoffs clear the way for election misinformation ahead of the US midterms
ISD's Katherine Keneally spoke to the Washington Post about how the recent cuts to Twitter's workforce may impact the US elections this week.
November 1, 2022 | NYT
How Trump’s Truth Social posts manage to reach mainstream audiences
ISD's Jared Holt spoke with the NYT about the influence of Truth Social among alt spaces, and how Trump's messaging still manages to reach the mainstream.
November 1, 2022 | BBC One
Sasha Havlicek on why conspiracists claim terror attacks are being faked
Sasha speaks to BBC Panorama about the belief that victims of terror attacks are lying about their experiences and the people promoting these conspiracies.
November 1, 2022 | AP News
The problematic approach of Elon Musk crowning himself the ‘King of Twitter’
ISD Senior Research Manager Jared Holt features in the Associated Press speaking about Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter.
November 1, 2022 | PBS
Chicago cop that lied about ties to the Proud Boys keeps job, alarms others
Jared Holt joined "Chicago Tonight" to provide insights and context to the Chicago Police Department's decision not to dismiss an officer that lied to investigators about his connection to the Proud Boys.
October 29, 2022 | Bloomberg
Is the transfer of Twitter power good news for Trump and researchers?
ISD's Katherine Keneally joins Bloomberg's 'Sound On' speaking about what Musk's supporters are expecting with the new transfer of power, algorithmic transparency and what could happen if Trump's account is reinstated.
October 28, 2022 | CNN
ISD’s Jiore Craig: be vigilant on election day, but not intimidated
ISD's Jiore Craig spoke to CNN about the "extreme actions" being seen around the US, the threat among domestic actors and the future of Twitter with Elon Musk.
October 26, 2022 | AXIOS
Pressure on platforms to curb election misinformation weeks away from midterms
ISD’s Jiore Craig features in Axios speaking on past election misinformation issues and how platforms continue to fail to address the issues.
October 24, 2022 | Libération
Climate delayism narratives in the French social media space
In an op-ed, ISD's Cécile Simmons writes about the narratives surrounding climate denial- and delayism, focusing on our ongoing climate monitoring & research ahead of COP27.
October 24, 2022 | TIME
Surge in election poll watchers part of bigger conspiratorial trend
ISD’s Jiore Craig features in TIME speaking about the surge in poll watchers since the ‘Stop the Steal’ movement first began.
October 24, 2022 | Bloomberg
Meta is losing focus on election integrity two weeks ahead of the US midterms
ISD's Melanie Smith spoke with journalist Parmy Olson for Bloomberg about Facebook and Meta's role in the spread of election misinfo ahead of the US midterms.
October 24, 2022 | Interferenzen
ISD’s Julia Smirnova features in ‘Putin, Peace and Plandemic’, the first episode of Interferenzen
ISD's Julia Smirnova discusses the relationship between the far right and the conspiracy ideology scene in Germany, and among Russian state propaganda.
October 23, 2022 | The Guardian
Jared Holt on the far-right: “When people tell you who they are, you should believe them”
ISD's Jared Holt spoke with the Guardian about the open-ness in which the far-right has publicised some of their more extreme views.
October 20, 2022 | NYT
Confronting misinformation as it spreads across multiple platforms
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to The New York Times about the challenges of confronting misinformation online as content moves across platforms.
October 18, 2022 | Axios
Reversal of Roe v. Wade sparks influx of abortion misinformation on social media
ISD shared with Axios our upcoming report focusing on the 100 days since the US Supreme Court decision that overturned the right to abortion access.
October 17, 2022 | The Daily Beast
Trump fans urging for rise in poll watchers ahead of midterms
Some Trump fans are already accusing Democrats of voter fraud and are calling for a rise in poll watchers.
October 14, 2022 | Next Inpact
How French politicians use social media, sometimes inauthentically, to their advantage
Analyst Zoé Fourel spoke with Next Inpact on ISD France's findings regarding inauthentic online behaviour linked to the campaign of far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour.
October 13, 2022 | Christian Science Monitor
Has the Jan. 6 committee scared extremists groups?
ISD's Anthony DeAngelo spoke with the Christian Science Monitor about the greater role of the January 6th committee on extremists groups.
October 12, 2022 | Salon
Study attempts to provide evidence linking misogyny to the incel movement
ISD's Tim Squirrell features in Salon commenting on a recent study on incels that surveyed a sample pool of men that were experiencing unwanted celibacy, but not necessarily identifying with the movement or the term.
October 11, 2022 | The Daily Beast
Jared Holt on the trends to watch out for among election denialists in the lead up to the US midterms
ISD's Jared Holt is a guest on The Daily Beast's Fever Dreams podcast discussing our latest report on the eight trends to watch for among election denialists in the lead up to the midterms.
October 8, 2022 | Irish Examiner
Ciarán O’Connor on Musk and Zelenskyy’s Twitter “tussle”
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor wrote an op-ed for the Irish Examiner analysing Elon Musk's and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "master" use of social media.
October 8, 2022 | The Daily Beast
GOP gubernatorial candidate claims she is prepared for office thanks to her media career
Tudor Dixon, who had her own show on Real America News where she often pushed conspiracy theories, is looking to unseat Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
October 7, 2022 | VICE News
Workaround Russian propaganda sites slipping through EU bans
ISD's Jordan Wildon spoke to VICE about our report on Russian state-media workarounds to circumvent the EU ban.
October 4, 2022 | Yahoo News
Facebook’s autogenerate feature is creating business pages for extremists
ISD's Executive Director for AMEA, Moustafa Ayad, speaks to Yahoo News about FB's autogenerate feature and how it works in favor of Islamist extremists.
October 4, 2022 | USA Today
High-stakes trial against Oath Keepers’ Jan. 6 “armed rebellion” begins
Extremism expert Jared Holt discussed the stakes of the court case against the militia group and the federal government with USA Today.
October 3, 2022 | Tortoise
How platforms’ systems contributed to the rise of manosphere influencer Andrew Tate
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to Nicky Woolf for Tortoise's Slow News podcast, discussing the rise of manosphere influencer Andrew Tate.
September 29, 2022 | USA TODAY
Salutes & chants: Trump embraces QAnon in the lead up to the 2022 midterm elections
ISD's Jared Holt speaks to USA TODAY and Insider about Trump's loyal QAnon supporters.
September 29, 2022 | VICE News
Trump re-energizes QAnon community just weeks ahead of the midterm elections
Senior Research Manager Jared Holt features in VICE News' article about Trump's recent activity endorsing the QAnon community.
September 27, 2022 | GNET
Moustafa Ayad on ISD’s work in addressing lack of research in Middle Eastern Nazi networks
In an article for GNET, ISD's Moustafa Ayad writes about Middle Eastern Nazis, the lack of research into the modern digital networks, and ISD's work in the field.
September 23, 2022 | Le Monde
Fringe online communities in France adopt US voter fraud narratives
ISD's Cécile Simmons writes for Le Monde about the circulation of US-adapted voter fraud narratives in fringe communities on social media during the 2022 French elections.
September 23, 2022 | Washington Post
Stock music song twice appropriated by QAnon and Trump
ISD’s Jared Holt spoke to the Washington Post about the latest Donald Trump and QAnon crossover: an innocuous stock music song that's become a common theme for QAnon and the Trump campaign.
September 22, 2022 | La Republicca
ISD’s report on pro-Kremlin Twitter users shared by major Italian newspapers ahead of elections
ISD's investigation into 500 pro-Kremlin Twitter accounts ahead of the Italian elections was shared in major Italian newspapers like La Republicca, La Stampa, Il Secolo XIX and various sites under the GEDI publishing group.
September 21, 2022 | Axios
Meta decreased in value but remains “dominant and important” around the world
ISD Senior Research Manager Jared Holt speaks with Axios about why despite decline among "some demographics," Meta's powers and influence will persist.
September 21, 2022 | Tampa Bay Times
Far-right livestreamer sets roots in Florida as he awaits sentencing for role on Jan. 6
ISD Senior Manager Jared Holt speaks with the Tampa Bay Times about Gionet's role in "radicalizing followers with his lively, clownish delivery."
September 14, 2022 | Grid News
The ‘Big Lie’, an umbrella narrative for modern-day election disinformation
ISD’s Head of Digital Integrity, Jiore Craig, features in this article for Grid News commenting on the evolution of election misinformation in modern political campaigns.
September 14, 2022 | ABC
Financial gain and legitimacy: How far-right publishers are benefitting from Amazon
Senior OSINT Analyst Elise Thomas spoke to ABC about how Amazon is once again failing to stop the amplification of these extremist books on their platform.
September 13, 2022 | NDR
ISD’s Christian Schwieter on the dangers and realities behind alternative media outlets
ISD's Christian Schwieter features in this documentary speaking about the extent and dangers relating to alternative media spaces.
September 13, 2022 | DW
Hungary’s conservative right approves ‘fetal heartbeat’ statute further complicating abortion access
DW draws on ISD findings over Hungary's role in a 'global network' against sexual and reproductive rights.
September 12, 2022 | Irish Examiner
The case of Enoch Burke and how media coverage can play into the hands of extremists
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor writes an op-ed for the Irish Examiner about the case of Enoch Burke and how national and international media might be playing into the hands of extremist groups.
September 12, 2022 | POLITICO
NAFO: make memes not bombs
POLITICO's investigation into the online pro-Ukraine collective NAFO features ISD research.
September 12, 2022 | DW
Pro-Kremlin narratives look to stir social unrest in Germany ahead of energy crisis
ISD's Julia Smirnova features in DW speaking on the concerns around Russian influence operations exploiting fears and sowing social unrest in Germany.
September 10, 2022 | TheJournal.ie
Analyst Aoife Gallagher challenges anti-trans rhetoric in op-ed
ISD's Aoife Gallagher wrote an op-ed about the mainstreaming of anti-trans rhetoric, its inherent roots in far-right ideology and why science isn't on their side.
September 10, 2022 | ZDF
The 1972 Munich Olympic Games attack informs current counter-terrorism efforts
In a new documentary, Julia Ebner analyses the counter-terrorism failures and outcomes of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games attacks.
September 8, 2022 | The Daily Beast
Jared Holt: Trump is openly promoting QAnon theories and supporters on Truth Social
In a guest column for The Daily Beast, ISD's Jared Holt argues that granting plausible deniability to Donald Trump over his promotion of QAnon content is an error.
September 7, 2022 | Newsweek
Information operations use the oldest trick in the book: attractive women
Newsweek has featured findings from Moustafa Ayad's research published in Propaganda Primping: The ‘Kremlinistas’ of Twitter.
September 4, 2022 | ABC News
ABC News host asks White House adviser about ISD’s findings following Biden’s speech on the ‘MAGA’ threat
ABC News' host Martha Raddatz asked White House adviser Keisha Lance Bottoms about ISD's recent findings following Biden's primetime speech on "MAGA's" threat to democracy.
September 4, 2022 | CBS
Internet and democracy: a ‘tenuous’ and ‘fraught’ relationship
Jared Holt was interviewed by CBS's Face the Nation, discussing the role of the Internet as an "accelerator and a multiplier" in spreading extremist content.
September 4, 2022 | AFP
Trump’s influence limited to a “closed feedback loop”
ISD Senior Analyst Jared Holt speaks with French news agency AFP about Trump's limited reach in pushing conspiracies nowadays.
August 31, 2022 | VICE
COVID conspiracists spark the latest culture war over drag queen readings in the UK
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to VICE World News about the anti-LGBTQ+ campaign that has followed a tour of drag queen readings to children in public libraries across the UK.
August 26, 2022 | DW
RT Arabic and unofficial outlets are winning the information war in the Middle East
ISD's Moustafa Ayad's talks to DW about RT Arabic's popularity in the Middle East and how its winning the information war in the region.
August 26, 2022 | The Standard
Platforms’ content moderation efforts fall short in Kenya
The Standard has cited ISD research in their reporting on Kenya's information landscape and the potential danger posed by large social media platforms.
August 26, 2022 | Insider
Homophobic slurs linked to monkeypox continue to spread on Twitter
Insider has used ISD research to report on the surge of homophobic rhetoric online since the WHO declared monkeypox a public health emergency.
August 25, 2022 | Euronews
LGBTQ+ monkeypox hate speech spreads on Twitter
ISD's Aoife Gallagher speaks to Euronews about her recent investigations looking into monkeypox conversations on Twitter.
August 23, 2022 | Radio Amman FM
Saba Yassin on ISD’s recently launched Youth Civic Action Academy in Jordan
Saba Yassin, ISD's Jordan Program Manager, features on Radio Amman FM speaking about ISD and the Youth Civic Action Academy project.
August 23, 2022 | The Journal
Irish Gardaí monitoring online circles as conspiracists “predictably” latch on to monkeypox
ISD's Aoife Gallagher spoke to The Journal about how Irish conspiracy circles have predictably latched on to monkeypox in the same way they did with COVID-19.
August 23, 2022 | Irish Examiner
Six months of war in Ukraine and a decade of disinformation
Ciarán O'Connor has written for the Irish Examiner, sharing his observations from the past six months investigating the war in Ukraine.
August 22, 2022 | New Lines
Fatwa against novelist Salman Rushdie unites Islamist extremists around the world
A religious order issued by an Islamic leader over 33 years ago in Iran is once again unifying extremists around the world following the attack on Salman Rushdie.
August 19, 2022 | C-Span
Katherine Keneally on the rise of far-right extremism in the US
ISD's Katherine Keneally speaks about the rise of extremism in the US and why it will require a dynamic response.
August 19, 2022 | NPR
TikTok is struggling to detect extremist content following Mar-a-Lago search
ISD's Katherine Keneally features on a segment of NPR's Here & Now on the current state of TikTok following the Mar-a-Lago raid earlier this month.
August 19, 2022 | Salon
Katherine Keneally on the aftermath of Mar-a-Lago: “the threat of extremism is not new”
ISD Senior Analyst Katherine Keneally features as an expert in an Op-Ed piece for US news outlet Salon.
August 19, 2022 | Coda Story
Dangerous homophobic monkeypox conspiracies spreading on Twitter
Our Dispatch on Monkeypox conspiracies against the LGBTQ+ community is featured in Coda Story's weekly newsletter on science-related disinformation.
August 17, 2022 | Newsy
ISD’s Katherine Keneally: Americans must end “us” versus “them” mentality
Senior Analyst Katherine Keneally features on Newsy Tonight with Chance Seales speaking on the recent uptick in calls for civil war following the FBI Mar-a-Lago search.
August 17, 2022 | Euronews
Online gun sales point to further language moderation failures by Facebook
ISD's Moustafa Ayad spoke to Euronews about his recent research on Iraqi guns sales on Facebook, where users openly advertise the sale of weapons.
August 15, 2022 | The Hill
Uptick in violent rhetoric aimed at FBI following Mar-A-Lago search could be used for recruitment by extremists
ISD's Katherine Keneally spoke to The Hill about how an uptick in violent rhetoric against the FBI could be used by extremist groups to recruit new members.
August 15, 2022 | MeidasTouch
Jared Holt on far-right echo chambers and the “terrifying” fear supporters live in
ISD's Jared Holt features in the MeidasTouch podcast "The Weekend Show" speaking on the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago and the threat of extremism in the US.
August 13, 2022 | Yahoo News
Jared Holt: “Apocalyptic”, violent rhetoric following Mar-a-Lago search is comparable to Jan. 6
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to Yahoo News about the “high levels of apocalyptic, violent and conspiratorial rhetoric" that ISD analysts have observed since the FBI search.
August 12, 2022 | ABC News
Gunman who tried entering FBI’s Cincinnati office is a suspected ‘extremist’
ISD Analysts compiled a report on the suspect's social media presence and background and shared it with ABC News.
August 12, 2022 | Independent
Plymouth shooting: understanding mass violence outside of ideological frameworks
ISD's Milo Comerford and Tim Squirrell spoke to the Independent on the one year anniversary of the Plymouth shooting.
August 11, 2022 | Coda Story
Pro-Russia propaganda defies platform bans
Analysis by ISD's Elise Thomas has formed part of a weekly newsletter by Coda Story about pro-Russian disinformation.
August 11, 2022 | The Hill
FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid sparks a decentralized backlash from the far-right
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to reporters at The Hill about the far-right's reaction to the FBI search at Mar-a-Lago.
August 11, 2022 | Insider
Conspiracies foster community as Trump supporters claim ‘false flag’
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to Insider about the conspiracy narratives emerging after the attempted attack at the FBI office in Cincinnati, Ohio.
August 10, 2022 | Bloomberg
FBI search at Mar-A-Lago: Civil war calls may soon get too loud on social media
ISD's Jacob Davey features in Bloomberg speaking on the far-rights online reaction to the FBI's search at Mar-A-Lago.
August 9, 2022 | VICE News
UK far-right group attempts to hijack World Indigenous Day with racist contest
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to VICE World News about the "abhorrent" campaign that started three years ago during the Black Lives Matter protests worldwide.
August 8, 2022 | VICE News
Poll: Conspiracy theories on the rise as monkeypox surges in the US
Different conspiracies and beliefs from the COVID-19 pandemic are being repurposed for monkeypox.
August 4, 2022 | Irish Examiner
Op-Ed: TikTok, the new arena for election disinformation
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor wrote an op-ed on the different ways TikTok is being weaponised during election periods in countries all around the world.
August 4, 2022 | CNN
Coalition of actors target Drag Queen Story Hour
Tim Squirrell spoke to CNN about the groups behind the protests currently being held at Drag Queen Story Hour events in libraries across the UK.
August 3, 2022 | In Reality
Melanie Smith on combatting domestic terrorism in the US
Head of ISD's Digital Analysis Unit, Melanie Smith, features in this podcast talking about the threat of radicalized violence, Jan. 6, and more.
August 3, 2022 | LBC
Proposal to broaden Prevent programme conflates ‘hate’ with ‘extremism’
Milo Comerford spoke to Leading Britain's Conversation about a proposal to broaden the UK's definition of 'extremism'.
August 3, 2022 | The Guardian
Extremist ‘educational’ resources radicalising young people online
ISD's Julia Ebner and Jacob Davey spoke to the Guardian about the strategies and resources extremists are using to radicalise young people.
August 2, 2022 | PC Mag
PC Mag reports on ISD’s findings about moderation gaps and terrorist content proliferation
PC Magazine has featured ISD's findings as outlined in the report Under-Moderated, Unhinged and Ubiquitous: Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State Networks on Facebook .
July 31, 2022 | WaPo
Facebook’s structural struggle in flagging terrorist content in Kenya, African countries
ISD's Moustafa Ayad spoke with the WaPo about the findings from our two-year investigation into the online media ecosystem of al-Shabaab and the Islamic State in Africa.
July 31, 2022 | Washington Post
AI falling short in moderating extremist content on Facebook
ISD's Moustafa Ayad spoke to the Washington Post about the problem of extremist and terrorist content on Facebook in Kenya.
July 30, 2022 | Baltimore Sun
‘First Amendment auditors’ capture and capitalise on confrontations
Ciarán O'Connor spoke to the Baltimore Sun about the growing online community of 'First Amendment auditors'.
July 30, 2022 | BBC
QAnon, the COVID-19 incubator and the hybridised threat landscape
Melanie Smith spoke to BBC Trending about the evolving threat posed by QAnon and weaponised conspiracy theories in the episode 'QAnon at the Ballot Box'.
July 28, 2022 | POLITICO
Arabic social media is a ‘Wild West’ for disinformation
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad shares with POLITICO evidence of a network of fake accounts pushing disinformation in Arabic in between images of conventionally attractive women.
July 26, 2022 | AD
Trump leans on Dutch farmers’ protest against climate measures to rally US base: “you’re next”
ISD's Katherine Keneally spoke with the AD about why the Dutch farmers' protests are resonating in the US, particularly among the far-right and conspiracists.
July 25, 2022 | New York Times
QAnon boom fades as the U.S. inches closer to primary elections
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to the New York Times about how supporting QAnon in the US doesn't necessarily equate to a successful campaign ahead of the 2022 primaries.
July 21, 2022 | Coda Story
Lea Gerster: Populist conspiracies thrive in moments of desperation
ISD's Lea Gerster features in this newsletter for Coda story, commenting on why people turn to conspiracies in moments of desperation.
July 20, 2022 | El País
Banned-RT content is making its way across Europe
Leading Spanish-language outlet El País published an exclusive about how RT content is "tricking" the system in place.
July 20, 2022 | POLITICO
Russia Today websites defying EU bans: “it’s a hydra’s head situation”
Kata Balint and Jordan Wildon speak to Politico about Russia Today's latest strategies to stay online in Europe.
July 18, 2022 | Axios
Reality check for Elon Musk’s Utopian dream for Twitter
ISD's Jared Holt spoke to Axios about the challenges facing Twitter as it continues negotiating with Elon Musk, who recently attempted to pull out of the deal.
July 13, 2022 | Grid
Conspiracists and nationalists support Dutch farmers’ protest against climate measures
Senior Analyst at ISD US, Katherine Keneally, spoke to Grid about the convergence of climate policies and conspiracies currently playing out in the Netherlands.
July 13, 2022 | SWR
Documentary: The Russian-German perspective on the War in Ukraine
ISD analyst Julia Smirnova features in this documentary for SWR about the role of Russian-language propaganda amongst Russian-Germans.
July 11, 2022 | VICE
‘Self-initiated terrorists’ reference the ‘Great Replacement’ in far-right attacks
ISD's Tim Squirrell featured in the VICE documentary 'The Replacement Conspiracy Inspired Mass Shootings', discussing the role the 'Great Replacement' conspiracy has played in right-wing terrorism.
July 10, 2022 | The Times of London
Time to restore the ‘forgotten right’
ISD's Zahed Amanullah spoke to the Times of London following a session on the digital world at the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in London.
July 8, 2022 | NBC
Vulnerabilities and red flags are crucial to the intervention of mass shootings
ISD's Head of Communications and Editorial Tim Squirrell spoke to NBC Chicago in the wake of the Highland Park shooting that left seven people dead.
July 7, 2022 | ARD Kontraste
Vovan and Lexus: Pranksters or political actors?
ISD analyst, Julia Smirnova, spoke to Leading German investigative TV magazine ARD Kontraste about Russian 'comedians' Vovan and Lexus and their relation with the Russian state.
July 6, 2022 | NPR
‘Gore-posting’ and the online footprint of the Highland Park shooter
ISD's Melanie Smith spoke to NPR about the online footprint and radicalisation trajectory of the Highland Park shooter and those like him.
July 3, 2022 | Bloomberg
Pro-Kremlin campaign blaming EU, US on food security crisis gains traction in Africa
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad spoke to Bloomberg about the pro-Kremlin narratives being deployed in Africa in attempts to redirect blame for the global food security crisis since its invasion of Ukraine.
July 3, 2022 | The Independent
Aoife Gallagher: Social platforms lack the ‘will’ or ‘ability’ to tackle misinformation
ISD analyst Aoife Gallagher commented to The Independent about how current response efforts to misinformation are not enough.
June 30, 2022 | Washington Post
Son of ‘brutal dictator’ elected president of the Philippines with the assistance of TikTok
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor spoke to the Washington Post about the role of TikTok in the election campaign of Bongbong Marcos, the incoming president of the Philippines.
June 28, 2022 | AFP
How foreign influence was barred from interfering in the 2022 French elections
ISD's Iris Boyer spoke with AFP about our findings on the resiliency of the French online ecosystem during the 2022 elections.
June 22, 2022 | LCP
Social media business models inducing hate and polarisation online
ISD's Iris Boyer participated in a panel for a political segment on France's LCP discussing the spread of hate online and the role of social networks in the issue.
June 17, 2022 | Alsat TV
Young Cities North Macedonia provides platform for issue-based dialogue
Albanian-language national broadcaster Alsat covered Young Cities' recent event, the Youth Policy and Engagement Forum, held last month in North Macedonia.
June 16, 2022 | Amnesty International Kenya
Amnesty International responds to our findings on Facebook’s failure in stopping extremist content in East Africa
Amnesty International Kenya and HAKI Africa released a joint statement expressing "deep concern" over our findings about Facebook's failure in stopping terrorist content online and the threat this serves to digital democracies in Africa.
June 15, 2022 | BBC
Lack of non-English language moderating tactics permitting spread of terrorist content in Africa
ISD’s AMEA Executive Director Moustafa Ayad spoke to BBC's Focus on Africa programme to discuss our recent report into terrorist content on Facebook in East Africa.
June 15, 2022 | AP News
Facebook fails to identify terrorist content threatening East Africa
Our recent report documenting the unmoderated spread of terrorist content on Facebook in East Africa is featured by AP News.
June 13, 2022 | Spotify
ISD brings terrorism and violent extremism expertise to Spotify Safety Advisory Council
This is the first safety-focused council of this sort to be created by a major audio company.
June 13, 2022 | The Guardian
Sky News Australia deemed ‘hub’ for climate misinformation
ISD's report Deny, Deceive, Delay: Documenting and Responding to Climate Disinformation at COP26 and Beyond has been featured in The Guardian.
June 11, 2022 | Tech Policy Press
Podcast: The current climate disinformation ecosystem is delaying urgent climate action
Our Head of Climate Disinformation, Jennie King, along with fellow Climate Change Coalition member Michael Khoo, discuss the climate disinformation ecosystem and how popular conspiracy narratives are only distracting and delaying urgent climate action.
June 10, 2022 | The BBC
ISD’s Jacob Davey on the mainstreaming of the Great Replacement theory
ISD's Jacob Davey took part in an expert panel for The Real Story on BBC World Service discussing the dynamics driving the Great Replacement conspiracy theory into the mainstream.
June 9, 2022 | The Conduit
Podcast: Climate action up against delayism and culture wars politics
ISD’s Jennie King is a guest on The Conduit speaking about climate mis- and disinformation and the small, closing window for action we are facing.
June 9, 2022 | The Guardian
Climate action sidetracked by ‘culture wars’ and delay tactics
ISD’s head of climate disinformation, Jennie King, spoke with the Guardian about our findings around monitoring climate mis- and disinformation during COP26.
June 9, 2022 | Newsweek
Climate delayism narratives outperforming science-based content on Twitter, Facebook
Newsweek profiles our report on evidencing trends of mis- and disinformation identified around COP26.
June 7, 2022 | Radio Télé Suisse
ISD’s Iris Boyer on “Twitter diplomacy” in the context of the Russia-Ukraine War
Speaking to Radio Télévision Suisse during their French-language morning show, La Matinale, she offers analysis on "Twitter diplomacy" and observations ISD France has had since the beginning of the war.
May 29, 2022 | BBC News
New Pro-Kremlin media outlet Southern Front is targeting Russian occupied areas in Ukraine
ISD's Julia Smirnova features in this article for the BBC, explaining that Southern Front is "likely the latest Russian strategy to establish control over the occupied territories of Ukraine".
May 27, 2022 | Grid News
Conspiracists turn to familiar pattern following the Uvalde school shooting
ISD's Melanie Smith comments to Grid News about how "conspiracy theories thrive" in moments of crises like the Uvalde school shooting.
May 26, 2022 | VICE News
Australians dissatisfied with election outcome turn to baseless voter fraud theories
ISD OSINT analyst Elise Thomas spoke with VICE News about the general conspiracist sentiment setting over Australia since the general elections in May.
May 21, 2022 | ABC News
Buffalo shooting highlights rise in online extremism related to the pandemic
ISD analyst Ciarán O'Connor features in this article for ABC News speaking about the uptick in online radicalisation since the pandemic.
May 20, 2022 | The Independent
The Great Replacement theory gains a footing among the Irish far right
ISD analyst Aoife Gallagher spoke to the Irish Independent about the significance of the Great Replacement theory among the Irish far right.
May 19, 2022 | L'Express
Elon Musk links Twitter bid to bot numbers, raising privacy and transparency issues
ISD’s Iris Boyer questions the balance between the right to privacy and transparency issues on social media, in light of Elon Musk conditioning his Twitter bid to the number of fake accounts on the platform.
May 19, 2022 | CNN Business
Alt-platforms refusing to remove hate content is giving way to further radicalisation
Some platforms like 4chan refuse to take down extremist content and "ruin it for everyone", ISD's Tim Squirrell said in conversation with CNN Business.
May 18, 2022 | Tortoise
Gaming-adjacent platforms: a gateway to extremism?
Jacob Davey spoke to Tortoise about findings from ISD's Gaming and Extremism series in light of the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York.
May 17, 2022 | BBC World News
The US must push to disengage individuals from turning to mainstream conspiracies in wake of Buffalo shooting
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke with BBC World News about the 14 May shooting in Buffalo, New York, the theories that might've prompted the suspect's radicalisation online, and prevention methods moving forward.
May 17, 2022 | Bloomberg
Videos of the Buffalo mass shooting remain online
Ciarán O'Connor told Bloomberg that videos capturing the attacker livestreaming the Buffalo mass shooting can still be found online across various platforms.
May 16, 2022 | VICE News
Pro-Putin influencers and conspiracists attempt to link Buffalo shooter to neo-Nazi group in Ukraine
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke with VICE News on how pro-Kremlin circles are misconstruing the shooter's profile to undermine support for Ukraine.
May 15, 2022 | NBC
Mass shooting in Buffalo sheds light on extremist online communities
ISD's Ciarán O’Connor spoke to NBC about the alleged shooter's involvement in online spaces, including forums and platforms, dedicated to extremist conversations.
May 13, 2022 | Channel 4 News
Growing British far-right group pushes new grooming tactics
ISD’s Julia Ebner provided analysis to a Channel 4 investigation on the tactics and narratives used by the British white nationalist movement Patriotic Alternative (PA) to groom young people in the country.
May 12, 2022 | The Guardian
GB News appoints climate sceptic as chairman
ISD's Jennie King spoke to the Guardian about the appointment of known climate change-sceptic, Alan McCormick, as GB News chairman.
May 9, 2022 | Al Jazeera
Tim Squirrell on the urgency for policy actions in combatting disinformation
Tim Squirrell spoke to Al Jazeera on World Press Freedom Day, discussing the threats of disinformation and propaganda in the online space.
May 5, 2022 | POLITICO
Microinfluencer behind #IStandWithRussia push proactively set up network years before the invasion
Moustafa Ayad spoke with Politico about our findings on the origins behind the viral #IStandWithRussia hashtag that came about after the invasion.
May 4, 2022 | VICE World News
UK sex education play cancelled following backlash by a Spain-based, religiously-linked advocacy group
Kata Balint and Lukasz Janulewicz spoke to VICE World News about CitizenGO, an organisation that plays a key role in an international network attempting to restrict sexual and reproductive health rights.
May 1, 2022 | Al Jazeera English
Cyber Front Z, the pro-Kremlin troll army spreading propaganda online
Tim Squirrell spoke to Al Jazeera English about Cyber Front Z, a Russian troll farm accused of spreading pro-Kremlin misinformation on social media.
April 27, 2022 | SMH
YouTube’s algorithm targeting boys and young men with mysoginistic, ‘manosphere’ content
In collaboration with Reset Australia, ISD researchers examined algorithmic recommendations on YouTube and YouTube Shorts and found that boys and young men in Australia are being targeted with misogynistic, anti-feminist and 'Manosphere'-content.
April 26, 2022 | Slate
Non-neutrality of search engines evident in the aftermath of the Bucha massacre
ISD’s Iris Boyer spoke with Slate France on the non-neutrality of search engines in the aftermath of the Bucha massacre.
April 21, 2022 | The Guardian
Facebook posts disputing Bucha massacre outperform verified sources and information
Posts questioning the atrocities committed in Bucha were shared 208,000 times in the first week of April.
April 20, 2022 | VICE
‘Sovereign Citizens,’ the conspiracists that believe they are above local laws
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor shares insight with VICE on the intersection between the long-standing anti-government 'Sovereign Citizen' ideology and COVID-19 conspiracy movements in the UK.
April 20, 2022 | Le Figaro
RT France, Sputnik ban pushes conspiracists to seek alternative information outlets
ISD analysts Zoé Fourel and Sasha Morinière spoke with French Le Figaro about their findings around the support for RT France and Sputnik among French-speakers since the ban.
April 19, 2022 | ABC's RN Breakfast
Jiore Craig: “Australia is another petri dish for bad actors to experiment with as they try out tactics to sow distrust in elections”
ISD's Jiore Craig spoke with ABC's RN Breakfast show about disinformation and misinformation being spread ahead of the Australian elections, and what ISD is doing with partners to prevent false and misleading narratives from taking hold.
April 19, 2022 | Newsweek
Trumpists coming together behind ‘Dark MAGA’ in preparation for 2024
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to Newsweek about Dark MAGA, a new aesthetic being promoted by both Trump supporters and more extreme political groups.
April 19, 2022 | SBS News
The “Mosaic Project:” ISD’s joint initiative to combat disinformation during the Australian federal election
ISD's Head of Digital Integrity, Jiore Craig, spoke to SBS News about the Mosaic Project, a joint initiative between ISD, the Judith Nielsen Institute, and RMIT's FactLab.
April 18, 2022 | ABC's The Drum
ISD’s Jiore Craig on how voters can stay ahead of “US-exported” disinformation ahead of the elections in Australia
ISD's Head of Digital Integrity, Jiore Craig, speaks to Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) The Drum, about electoral mis- and disinformation ahead of the Australian federal election.
April 16, 2022 | The Guardian
“US-imported” voter fraud claims on the rise on Facebook in the lead up to elections in Australia
In a conversation with The Guardian, ISD’s Elise Thomas points out that “voter fraud rhetoric ‘imported’” from the US has been on the rise for months in Australia, in the lead up to national elections.
April 13, 2022 | BBC
Tracking Putin’s “superfans:” An investigation by ISD and the BBC
Researchers at ISD joined a BBC investigation on a network of Putin “superfans” on Facebook committed to depicting the Russian president as “smiling, benevolent and peace-loving”.
April 8, 2022 | Jews News Syndicate
ISD and B’nai B’rith, in partnership with UNESCO, release a guide on combatting online antisemitism
ISD- and B’nai B’rith International's, in partnership with UNESCO, guide on combatting antisemitism online was covered by the Jewish News Syndicate.
April 4, 2022 | VICE News
Pro-Kremlin Cyber Front Z army ‘movement’ found to be just another classic troll farm
ISD analyst Julia Smirnova features in this article by VICE News where she explains how a Telegram channel is urging Russians to help boost pro-Kremlin content online by faking a "grassroots" movement.
March 31, 2022 | UnHerd
The far-right’s splitting view of the Russia-Ukraine War
Tim Squirrell, ISD's Head of Communications, spoke with UnHerd about the far-right's splitting view of the Russia-Ukraine War, the "Balkanistation" of the ecosystem and the appeal of conspiracies in moments of human crises.
March 29, 2022 | The Arab Weekly
Can the war in Ukraine breed ‘compassion’ toward non-European refugees?
The war in Ukraine has caused over three million people to flee their homes, Jasmine El-Gamal has authored an op-ed for the Arab Weekly about the future of refugee interventions.
March 29, 2022 | All Africa
Growing number of political gangs in Kenya spark election concerns
ISD's Dominic Pkalya spoke to All Africa about the growing threat of political gangs and militias in Kenya ahead of the national elections on 9 August 2022.
March 29, 2022 | Oireachtas TV
Ciarán O’Connor on the different sides of the information war between Russia and Ukraine
ISD’s Ciarán O’Conner appeared on Oireachtas Debates, a show on Oireachtas TV, an Irish public service broadcaster, as part of a panel interview discussing the war in Ukraine and spread of disinformation around the invasion, and misleading information from pro-Ukrainian parties.
March 24, 2022 | Business Insider
TikTok snubs researchers while disinformation spreads
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor has shared insights and concerns over the role of Tiktok in spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda in an op-ed for Business Insider.
March 23, 2022 | NBC Nightly News
‘Actors with disproportionate power’ vital to combatting disinformation
ISD's Jiore Craig was interviewed on Russian disinformation by NBC Nightly News, where she discussed the role of powerful actors in curbing the spread of disinformation.
March 23, 2022 | Washington Post
Debunked TikTok video is weaponised by Kremlin propaganda to instill fear in Russians everywhere
Analysis by Julia Smirnova was featured by the Washington Post, it looks at a viral Tiktok video spreading misinformation about violence directed at Russians in Germany.
March 20, 2022 | NYT
It’s never been so easy for Russia to wage an information war
ISD researcher Elise Thomas features in an article for the New York Times, where she reminds us that Russia has always executed information attacks, but it's never been as easy as it is now in the age of the Internet and smart phones.
March 16, 2022 | Mother Jones
Wartime information campaigns: why we should hold off on declaring a winner in Russia VS Ukraine
ISD researcher Elise Thomas shares some insight with investigative magazine Mother Jones about her research surrounding the ongoing information battle between Russia and Ukraine.
March 12, 2022 | Al Jazeera
Tim Squirrell on Russia’s response to Meta relaxing hate speech policy against Putin
Tim Squirrell, ISD's Head of Communications and Editorial, appeared on Al Jazeera's Inside Story to discuss changes to Meta's content moderation policy temporarily allowing users in some countries to incite violence against Russian soldiers.
March 4, 2022 | AP News
Ciarán O’Connor: TikTok is at the forefront of Russia’s propaganda war
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor comments to AP News about the significance of TikTok in Russia's information war.
March 4, 2022 | POLITICO
Telegram falls behind in following EU ban on Russian-state media
ISD analyst and Russia expert Julia Smirnova speaks with POLITICO on how far-right activity on Telegram has increasingly consisted in the sharing of banned-RT content.
March 3, 2022 | USA Today
Experts come together to define ‘extremism’
ISD has joined with the Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab (PERIL) at the American University in Washington to define 'extremism', USA Today reports.
March 2, 2022 | FAZ
Putin’s “infowar” over Ukraine creates a “perfect environment” for fake content
ISD's Julia Smirnova, an expert on Russia, features in a podcast with renowned German newspaper FAZ about deliberate false reporting during the war in Ukraine.
February 27, 2022 | The Independent
Union between antivaxxers and conspiracists will likely outlive the pandemic
In an interview for the Independent, Milo Comerford and Jacob Davey comment on the social effects COVID-19 will likely have after the pandemic in extremist, conspiracy groups.
February 22, 2022 | ABC
‘Canberra Convoy’ wants a slice of the silent majority
Elise Thomas talks to ABC's 7.30 about the Australian protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions taking place in the country's capital.
February 21, 2022 | BBC Radio 4
Algorithms and pandemic pressure: the perfect storm on social media
ISD's CEO Sasha Havlicek went on BBC Radio 4’s series ‘Death by Conspiracy’ to talk about the effects of the changing social media landscape due to algorithms and the pressure the pandemic put on existing models.
February 17, 2022 | France 24
The overlaps between the international far right and the spreading ‘Freedom Convoy’
Ciarán O’Connor goes on France 24 to talk about the connections between the Canadian truckers’ convoy, the North American far right, and how that translates across the Atlantic.
February 15, 2022 | The Canberra Times
Protestors temporarily unite under “anti” movement in Canberra, but what will the long-lasting effects be?
Elise Thomas features in this episode of the Talk of the Times from the Canberra Times looking at the unifying nature of the "anti-" protests taking place around the city.
February 15, 2022 | France Inter
Users following antivaxx accounts were prompted to posts selling fake health passes on social media
Leading French outlet France Inter covers our research on the sales of fake COVID-19 health passes in the French online space.
February 14, 2022 | POLITICO
‘Sophisticated’ tactics by online ISIS groups evade platform policies
Moustafa Ayad spoke to POLITICO about ISD's research into online Islamist networks on mainstream social media, despite platform policies banning extremist content.
February 14, 2022 | The Guardian
French antivaxxers are discreetly purchasing fake COVID-19 health passes on Telegram
ISD's Zoé Fourel spoke with the Guardian about our findings on the online market for fake COVID-19 health passes that is spreading across the French online space.
February 13, 2022 | France Info
ISD’s Iris Boyer on the portrayal of the freedom convoy in France
ISD’s Iris Boyer spoke with leading French TV information channel France Info on the portrayal of the freedom convoy in France.
February 8, 2022 | LBC
Confrontation of UK opposition leader sparks debate on the mainstreaming of extremist narratives
ISD's Tim Squirrell spoke to LBC about mainstreamed extremist narratives in the wake of the confrontation of Sir Keir Starmer outside of Parliament after accusations from Boris Johnson that he didn't do enough to prosecute Jimmy Savile.
February 6, 2022 | POLITICO
Canadian truckers’ convoy reignites far-right drive around the world
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor comments on how the support for the convoy from U.S. political figures and content creators gave the protests the push needed to appeal to a global audience.
February 4, 2022 | Wired
German anti-lockdown movement ‘quite radical compared to other countries’
ISD's Jakob Guhl spoke to Wired about the diversity of groups that characterise the anti-lockdown movement in Germany.
February 4, 2022 | ZDF
Expert: Russia’s propaganda efforts in Ukraine date back to 2014
ISD's Julia Smirnova speaks with ZDF about Russia's efforts to destabilise Ukraine with propaganda campaigns dating back to 2014 and the annexation of Crimea.
February 3, 2022 | Ouest France
Fake COVID-19 green passes for sale on French social media
ISD's Iris Boyer and Zoe Fourel were interviewed by Ouest France regarding their research of the sale of French COVID-19 vaccination certificates on social media platforms.
February 1, 2022 | Sitel TV
Simeon Dukić speaks to Sitel TV about online extremism in North Macedonia
Simeon Dukic discusses leading ISD research on online extremism in North Macedonian during a television interview with Sitel TV.
January 20, 2022 | Le Soir
Political actors co-opt COVID-sceptic Telegram groups
Iris Boyer spoke to Le Soir about ISD France's deep dive into Telegram during investigation into the sale of fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates on the platform.
January 10, 2022 | VICE News
Conspiracists are backing tennis star Djokovic amid controversy at the Australian Open
Recent controversy around Novak Djokovic's vaccine status at the 2022 Australian Open has sparked online debate among conspiracists if the tennis star should be the new face of the "unvaxxed sperm" movement.
January 3, 2022 | The Guardian
Incel community celebration of Plymouth shooting prompts debate on calls for action
ISD's Tim Squirrell speaks to The Guardian about the need for support services and not just securitised intervention when it comes to at-risk young men in online incel forums.
January 2, 2022 | RTVS
Richard Kuchta: Social media prioritises user retention over community regulation
Our Richard Kuchta stated to RTVS that social media bans are merely applied in repeated cases of community standards violations as the platforms attempt to retain users from going elsewhere.
December 21, 2021 | Radio Campus Paris
Who are the French far-right feminists in politics, and what do they want?
ISD France analyst Iris Boyer joins journalist Daphne Deschamps, on this podcast, discussing self-proclaimed ‘feminist’ politicians on the French far right ahead of the presidential elections next year.
December 20, 2021 |
Islamic extremists troll each other online and manage to stay under Facebook’s radar
Our Moustafa Ayad shared exclusively with POLITICO evidence exposing how several groups supporting the Islamic State and the Taliban managed to go undetected for months on Facebook.
December 17, 2021 | AP News
Ciarán O’Connor: “COVID-19 has served as a catalyst for radicalisation”
Speaking with AP News on his latest report, our Ciarán O'Connor explains how COVID-19 fears have ultimately been exploited by conspiracists to attract new recruits "whose loyalty may outlast the pandemic."
December 8, 2021 | WIRED
Young jihad supporters incorporate alt-right memes and language in their rise on social media
ISD's research discussing alt-jihadists features in this op-ed article by one of the report authors, Moustafa Ayad.
December 3, 2021 | Sky News
Antisemitism and racist content buried in hours of podcast material on Spotify
ISD's Jacob Davey spoke with Sky News on their investigation into extremist material on the popular streaming platform Spotify.
December 1, 2021 | Berliner Morgenpost
German elections: ISD finds that Right-wing party AfD greatly benefitted from the online climate debate
During the 2021 German federal elections, ISD found that Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) was the party that most benefitted from the climate change debate on social media platforms.
November 29, 2021 | VICE News
Far-right supporters and antivaxxers repackage conspiracies during the pandemic
Our Aoife Gallagher features in this article by Vice News on the growing interconnectedness between far-right and antivaccine movements around the world.
November 24, 2021 | MEL Magazine
Gen-Z Salafi followers turn to far-right memes further reinforcing dividing lines
ISD's Milo Comerford and Moustafa Ayad spoke with MEL magazine about Gen-Z and the digital Salafi ecosystem.
November 23, 2021 | UnHerd
Left or right? Islamism at the center of a culture war lacking religious representation
UnHerd cites our report "Islamogram: Salafism and Alt-Right Online Subcultures" to better explain the growing overlap between Salafi Gen Zers and the online far-right.
November 19, 2021 | The Hill
Violent video against U.S. representative AOC stirs up debate around online misogyny
Our Chloe Colliver spoke with The Hill about the handling by social media platforms in dealing with the video directed at AOC.
November 13, 2021 | BBC's The Denial Files
Repurposing COVID-19 conspiracy theories among climate change sceptics
Our Jennie King features in BBC’s The Denial Files where she speaks about how different groups and movements have repurposed and weaponised COVID-19-related language to instill fear among climate change sceptics.
November 12, 2021 | NBC News & The Guardian
COVID vaccine sceptics are getting mandated doses and then turning to questionable “vaxx detoxes”
Our Ciarán O'Connor spoke with NBC News about viral "vaccine detoxes" and how the very design of platforms like TikTok is helping promote potentially dangerous methods.
November 12, 2021 | NPR
Climate-narrative hijacking by extremists and conspiracists threatens COP26 summit efforts
Our Jennie King has been onsite at COP26 with partner organisations keeping watch over our monitoring dashboards analysing trends, posts and narratives on Facebook, Twitter and other websites that could potentially derail summit efforts.
November 8, 2021 | Refinery 29
Julia Ebner: “misogyny is a central part of hateful extremism” and should be recognized as a hate crime
The rise of the incels movement may be linked to the outbreak of the pandemic, according to our Julia Ebner.
November 5, 2021 | Tagesschau
Russian state propaganda fuels COVID-19-related conspiracies among German social media
Our research exposes the influence RT DE on YouTube and how it became one of the most shared sources within the COVID-19 sceptic community.
November 4, 2021 | BBC & more
ISD’s climate monitoring “War Room” keeps watch over misinfo activity during COP26
ISD and partners are maintaining watch over our Climate Dashboards during COP26, monitoring for any mis- and disinformation trends and attacks against the Summit.
October 26, 2021 | BBC Sunday Morning Live
Can we make the internet safer? Sasha Havlicek on cautions behind ending online anonymity
ISD's Sasha Havlicek participates in a panel on BBC's Sunday Morning Live about internet safety.
October 25, 2021 | ABC News
Ciarán O’Connor: Facebook is prioritising platform growth over safety
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor spoke with ABC News about information revealed in the Facebook Papers.
October 25, 2021 | POLITICO
The Facebook Papers: hate speech filters through in Middle East thanks to lack of Arabic-language monitoring and faulty AI tech
ISD assisted POLITICO in reviewing the Facebook Papers, a 59-page memo from late 2020 that evidenced that the platform's efforts to curb hate speech and terrorist content in the Arab world weren't working.
October 22, 2021 | Washington Post
Climate of distrust pushes many in the wellness community to turn to misinformation sources
ISD's Cécile Simmons speaks with the WaPo on the appeal of misinformation within the health and wellness community.
October 21, 2021 | The Economist
Users circumvent TikTok policies by finding workarounds for publishing toxic content
What makes TikTok so popular is also what makes some its content so toxic among younger users.
October 21, 2021 | The Guardian
Terror-related online activity isn’t the only type of extremist content that’s grown since the pandemic
ISD's Jacob Davey speaks to The Guardian in the wake of the killing of British MP David Amess about the increase in "harmful" activity relating to extremist issues since the beginning of the pandemic.
October 20, 2021 | The Washington Post
Social media policies against health disinformation aren’t stopping repeat offenders
ISD's Aoife Gallagher spoke to the WaPo about our latest report "Ill Advice: A Case Study in Facebook’s Failure to Tackle COVID-19 Disinformation" focussing on the virality of the World Doctors Alliance.
October 20, 2021 | Mirror
Narrowing gap between online and offline activity as tech platforms “normalise” hate
ISD's Chloe Colliver speaks with the Mirror about how hateful posts and extremist content may be a mirror of the offline world, while also serving as a trigger within online communities.
October 19, 2021 | BBC's Panorama
How misogynistic hate benefits from algorithms and propels through social media
ISD's Chloe Colliver joins journalist Marianna Spring's investigation on how social media algorithms promote hate toward women.
October 19, 2021 | Channel 4 News & more
Climate change deniers weaponise the pandemic and revel under new conspiracy theory
ISD’s Jennie King spoke with Channel 4 News about our latest report “’Climate lockdown’ and the Culture Wars,” and comments on how the pandemic has ultimately been weaponised by climate change deniers and right-wing media outlets.
September 28, 2021 | Der Standard & Waz
Popular funding services are being used by well-known extremists to finance their activity
ISD Germany and the Global Disinformation Index found that multiple well-known German far-right groups and actors are using well-known funding services like PayPal or Klarna to finance their activity.
September 20, 2021 | BBC Click
Far-right extremists live out fantasies on gaming platforms
ISD's Jacob Davey spoke with BBC Click about far-right extremist activity on gaming platforms.
September 11, 2021 | Al Jazeera
Prioritizing Human Rights in the Aftermath of the So-Called War on Terror
The global War on Terror has further fueled extremist discourse around the world, according to ISD's Moustafa Ayad.
March 19, 2022 | BBC Radio 4
Sasha Havlicek speaks to Radio 4’s Today programme on enforcing the West’s red lines against Putin
ISD's CEO, Sasha Havlicek, appeared on Radio 4's flagship news and current affairs programme, Today, to discuss the last two decades of Western response to Vladimir Putin.
March 7, 2022 | Sky News
Sasha Havlicek on the battle against Putin: “There are seeds of hope, if we can sustain it”
Sasha Havlicek joined Sky News' 'The Great Debate' during primetime as a panelist, debating the question: Can the West stop Vladimir Putin?
September 7, 2021 | Sky News
Twenty years later: Sasha Havlicek on the global impact of the 9/11 attacks
ISD's CEO, Sasha Havlicek, speaks with Sky News about the global implications that have resulted in the last 20 years when the U.S. embarked on what would be their longest war.
August 27, 2021 | New York Times
The Far-Right and Alt-Right Find Common Ground with the Taliban
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad provides insight to the New York Times in this piece on "Right Wingers who Admire the Taliban."
August 25, 2021 | POLITICO Europe
Hate in Plain Sight: Extremists Unchecked Activity Spreads on TikTok
Ciarán O’Connor’s research on the state of hate on TikTok is featured in articles by POLITICO Europe, USA Today, Jewish Insider, PBS and The Journal, among others.
August 12, 2021 | WIRED UK
Far-right gamers on Steam and Discord, an uncensored community
Our findings on popular gaming platforms Steam, Discord, DLive and Twitch, are featured in this article for WIRED UK.
August 2, 2021 | POLITICO
Pro-Trump Social Media Platform Inundated with Jihadist Propaganda
ISD’s Moustafa Ayad shared with POLITICO various findings relating to the rapid exploitation of the recently launched social media network Gettr by Islamic State and jihadist groups.
July 20, 2021 | CBC News
Mackenzie Hart speaks on CBC News about Right-Wing Extremism in Canada
Mackenzie Hart discusses the findings and implcations of ISD's new report: An Online Environmental Scan of Right-Wing Extremism in Canada.
July 14, 2021 | NBC News
Ciarán O’Connor Finds a Loophole for Anti-Vaccine Misinformation on TikTok
ISD's Ciarán O'Connor spoke to NewsNation Now, NBC News and Reuters on his findings.
July 1, 2021 | BBC's Newsnight
Chloe Colliver on disinformation narratives and risks in the antivaxx movement
ISD’s Chloe Colliver speaks with Newsnight about the risks of radicalisation, and radicalisation toward violence, after prolonged exposure to extremists and disinformation narratives like those being seen in the antivaxx movement.
June 28, 2021 | Morning Consult
The Overlap between QAnon Narratives and Antisemitic Tropes
Aoife Gallagher speaks with the Morning Consult about how QAnon believers often also follow antisemitic tropes.
June 18, 2021 | POLITICO
Far-right tactics to undermine the German federal election
ISD's work monitoring a range of social media platforms in the lead up to the German Federal Election this September is featured in an article by Mark Scott for POLITICO.
June 18, 2021 | BBC News Africa
Aoife Gallagher speaks on the misinformation storm surrounding the death of George Nkencho in Ireland
ISD's Aoife Gallagher is featured in a story by BBC News Africa following the death of George Nkencho and the misinformation storm that ensued.
June 16, 2021 | Wall Street Journal
Sasha Havlicek quoted on the Long-Term Effectiveness of Facebook’s Oversight Panel
ISD's CEO Sasha Havlicek is quoted in an article by Parmy Olson for the Wall Street Journal about the long-term effectiveness of Facebook's oversight panel.
July 12, 2021 | Alsat-M
Emir Hasanovic on ISD’s Strong Cities Network in the Balkans
ISD’s Emir Hasanovic is an in-studio guest at North Macedonia's most watched national station for a 30-minute interview on ISD's Strong Cities work in the Balkans.
May 5, 2021 | Tortoise Media
Extremists Shift their Focus to Green Politics ahead of COP-26
Jennie King writes an op-ed for Tortoise on how far-right extremists are turning their attention online to the alleged threat of the green agenda.
April 30, 2021 | VICE
Far-right activity on Telegram spikes after the death of George Nkencho
In a VICE article which highlights the harmful misinformation spread about George Nkencho and his death by the far-right on Telegram, Aoife Gallagher is quoted on how Telegram has evolved among far-right groups and supporters in Ireland.
April 29, 2021 | USA Today
Amazon Responds to ISD’s research about the Danger of their Algorithm Recommendations
Chloe Colliver speaks to USA Today about the implications of an ISD research investigation which found Amazon’s algorithms recommending potentially harmful content to users.
April 11, 2021 | The Irish Times
Conspiracy Theories, Right-Wing Extremism and Radicalisation
Aoife Gallagher is quoted extensively in an article from The Irish Times about conspiracy theories and theorists in the digital age.
April 9, 2021 | WIRED
Arabic-Language Vaccine Misinformation Spreads Unchecked on Facebook
Moustafa Ayad and Ciarán O'Connor's research on Arabic-language COVID vaccine misinformation on Facebook is exclusively covered by WIRED.
March 29, 2021 | The Times
Irish Users Targeted with Conspiracy Theories Through Facebook Ads
Milo Comerford is quoted in a Times article about the use of Facebook ads to promote conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine content on how the far-right weaponise many conspiracy theories to promote their own ideologies.
March 20, 2021 | BBC Sounds
BBC Sounds Features ISD’s Research on Irish Conspiracy Communities on Facebook
This episode of the BBC Sounds Trending series, "The Anti-Vax Files: How anti-vax went viral," features insight from ISD's Chloe Colliver.
March 1, 2021 | RTÉ Radio 1
Violent Anti-lockdown Protests in Ireland: Aoife Gallagher on RTÉ Radio 1
Aoife Gallagher discusses how the the Gardaí handled anti-lockdown protests in Ireland on Saturday, 27 February, on RTÉ Radio 1.
February 16, 2021 | SPLC
Telegram and the Post-Organisational Extremism Paradigm
An article by the SPLC draws on analysis from ISD to explain the changing dynamics of right-wing extremist activity.
February 10, 2021 | Al Jazeera
Podcast: Aoife Gallagher Discusses QAnon global reach on Al Jazeera’s The Take
Aoife Gallagher features in this episode of Al Jazeera's The Take: 'How did the QAnon conspiracy go global?'
January 28, 2021 | WIRED
Cécile Guerin writes for Wired about the Yoga World, antivaxxers and QAnon believers
Cécile Guerin writes for Wired about the increasing presence of conspiracy theories, anti-vaxx and QAnon narratives in the wellness community over the past year.
January 25, 2021 | Rolling Stone
New QAnon Conspiracies About Trump Spread on TikTok
Aoife Gallagher is quoted in a Rolling Stone article on why the increasing convergence between QAnon and the anti-government Sovereign Citizen movement is highly concerning.
January 18, 2021 | CNN
Chloe Colliver on CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight
ISD's Chloe Colliver speaks on CNN's Don Lemon Tonight about the Capitol Hill riots and the role social media played in the event
January 14, 2021 | POLITICO
Trump’s Post-Jan 6 Speech Fails to Convince MAGA Nation to Back Down
In the wake of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, Chloe Colliver provides insight to POLITICO about the continued concerning activity of right-wing extremists online.
December 29, 2020 | Slate
Amarnath Amarasingam on the Ability of Some Conspiracy Theories to Mitigate Violent Mobilisation
Amarnath Amarasingam outlines how pro-Trump conspiracy theories may have actually discouraged postelection violence in an op-ed for Slate Magazine.
December 18, 2020 | New York Times
QAnon Narratives Spread on Facebook Despite Ban
Research from ISD and NewsGuard about the spread of QAnon narratives on Facebook is exclusively covered by the New York Times, and featured in articles from the Financial Times, Die Welt, Deutschland Funk, Turi2, and La Repubblica, and NBC News.
December 17, 2020 | GNET
Op-ed: Jakob Guhl on Online Extremism in German-Speaking Countries for GNET
Jakob Guhl writes about online extremism in German-speaking countries during the COVID-19 pandemic for the Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET).
December 15, 2020 | ABC
Australia’s Far-Left: A Security Threat?
Mario Peucker and ISD's Jacob Davey write for ABC (Australia) on whether Australia’s radical left pose a national security threat.
November 25, 2020 | IEP
Milo Comerford on the Behaviour of Extremist Groups During the Pandemic
Milo's Comerford's article for the Institute of Economics and Peace on the behaviour of extremist groups during the pandemic receives widespread media coverage, including from ITV, Arab News, Euractiv (DE), Metro and The Sun.
November 2, 2020 | The Forward
Chloe Colliver on Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour on Faceboook
Chloe Colliver is quoted in The Forward on coordinated inauthentic behaviour on Faceboook.
October 27, 2020 | Politico
Despite cries of censorship, conservatives dominate social media
ISD's research work featured heavily in this article in Politico on how a small number of conservative users routinely outpace their liberal rivals and traditional news outlets in driving the online conversation.
October 27, 2020 | BBC Newsnight
Chloe Colliver speaks about the virality of disinformation on BBC’s Newsnight
ISD's Chloe Colliver appears on BBC's Newsnight to discuss how disinformation can spread, using the example of a fake announcement promoting the reopening of Woolworths stores in the UK.
October 27, 2020 | NBC News
ISD’s Research on the Funding Strategies of Hate Groups Covered by NBC
NBC News provides exlcusive coverage of the research findings outlined in the new ISD report: Bankrolling Bigotry: An overview of the Online Funding Strategies of American Hate Groups.
October 16, 2020 | The Sun
Aoife Gallagher explains QAnon’s innerworkings for The Sun
In an op-ed for The Sun, Aoife Gallagher explains the QAnon conspiracy theory.
October 8, 2020 | Global News Canada
Mackenzie Hart Talks to Global News Canada About Facebook’s QAnon Ban
Mackenzie Hart discusses Facebook's ban of QAnon-related content on the platform.
October 7, 2020 | The Today Show (NBC)
Aoife Gallagher Discusses QAnon on NBC’s Today Show
Aoife Gallagher explains why QAnon can be considered a 'digital cult' on the Today Show.
October 5, 2020 | The Washington Post
Analysis of the Online Harassment of Politicians Covered by WaPo
The Washington Post provides exclusive coverage of the findings in ISD's new research report: Public Figures, Public Rage: Candidate Abuse on Social Media.
September 11, 2020 | CNN
Farah Pandith on How the Terror Threat has Morphed since 9/11
As we approach another anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, Farah Pandith writes for CNN on how the terror threat in the U.S. has morphed over the last two decades.
September 8, 2020 | BBC Click
Click reveals ISD discovery of huge pro-ISIS online cache
How ISD deputy director Moustafa Ayad discovered one of the largest collections of material belonging to the so-called Islamic State group ever found on the internet.
September 4, 2020 | BBC
Podcast: Aoife Gallagher explains why QAnon is “Going Global”
In the latest episode of the The Real Story, a podcast from the BBC World Service, Aoife Gallagher provides expert opinion on why QAnon is "going global."
August 21, 2020 | First Draft
Coronavirus: How pro-mask posts boost the anti-mask movement
Chloe Colliver is quoted in this article on First Draft by Carlotta Dotto and Lydia Morrish on anti-masker conspiracy theories being amplified by Social Media.
August 11, 2020 | The Beacon
Aoife Gallagher Interviewed by The Beacon on the QAnon Conspiracy Theory
ISD's analysis of the key trends in activity around the QAnon conspiracy theory from 2017 to 2020 features in an article from The Beacon. Aoife Gallagher is quoted on the ongoing popularity of the conspiracy theory as well as the use of QAnon for electoral purposes by the Trump campign.
August 10, 2020 | CNN
A propaganda battle is playing out in the replies to Trump’s tweets
CNN article based on our report on our case study of a pro-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Twitter network.
July 23, 2020 | BBC
QAnon, coronavirus and the conspiracy cult
Aoife Gallagher makes her BBC debut on video report about QAnon, coronavirus and the conspiracy cult.
July 12, 2020 | The Times
Extremists use BBC theme to trick Facebook into showing vile clips
Moustafa Ayad, ISD Deputy Director for Technology, Communications, and Education, is extensively quoted in this article in The Times.
July 6, 2020 | BBC
TikTok’s Boogaloo extremism problem
Chloe Oliver, Head of Digital Policy and Strategy at ISD, is quoted in this BBC report on TikTok's problems with extremism.
July 2, 2020 | BBC
Facebook targets ‘false news’ amid growing pressure from advertisers
Chloe Colliver, head of the Digital Research Unit at ISD provides insights to this BBC story on 'False News' propagated on Facebook.
June 30, 2020 | CNN
White supremacists openly organize racist violence on Telegram, report finds
Jakob Guhl talks to CNN about Telegram and its white supremacist problem.
June 30, 2020 | Coda
How Covid-19 spread QAnon in Germany
Jakob Guhl, Coordinator in Policy & Research, contributed to this story on Coda.
June 22, 2020 | ZDF Germany
Undercover im Nazi-Chat
Jakob Guhl, Coordinator in Policy & Research was interviewed for this ZDF exposé of right wing activity on the Telegram chat platform.
May 12, 2020 | POLITICO
Extremists Seizing on the Pandemic to Push their Own Political Agendas
Chloe Colliver is quoted in an POLITICO article about how COVID-19 is providing a global rallying cry for conspiracy theorists and far-right extremists.
May 11, 2020 | BBC Click
How Coronavirus Has Changed The World: Chloe Colliver on BBC Click
Chloe Colliver features in an episode of BBC Click that looks at the rise of disinformation during the coronavirus pandemic.