NAFO: make memes not bombs

POLITICO‘s investigation into NAFO, an online collective of pro-Ukraine users who deploy Shiba Inu dog memes to disarm Kremlin talking points on social media, features ISD research.

ISD analysts spoke to POLITICO and shared insights from our online monitoring and analysis. The Digital Analysis Unit at ISD has measured more than 5000 Twitter posted daily associated with NAFO, alluding to the group’s significant growth since it began in late May.

NAFO collects donations on behalf of the Georgian Legion, a military unit created soon after Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. People who send donations can request their own ‘doge’ avatar, the comical insignia of the online collective.