For 20 years, ISD has delivered field-leading threat detection, analysis and real-world strategies to combat terrorism, extremism and authoritarianism - in all their ideological forms.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

Democratic societies face a barrage of influence operations from foreign state actors that threaten election integrity, national security and individual rights. ISD is a world leader in identifying, analysing, exposing and combating Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), identifying networks of pro-Kremlin, pro-Chinese and pro-Iranian influence that is manipulative in character and conducted in an intentional and coordinated manner. Actors of such activity can be state or non-state actors, including their proxies inside and outside of their own territory.  

May 27, 2026

All operations on Armenia: Russia’s influence machine targets the vote

Multiple Russian information operations are converging on Armenia in an apparent attempt to influence parliamentary elections on 7 June

Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

April 23, 2026

Iran’s diplomats launch a meme war

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

April 15, 2026

How pro-Iran networks gained a billion views on war propaganda

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

April 2, 2026

Foreign actors and foreign influence: An exploratory analysis of international state actors targeting Ireland in 2025

Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour, Data Access and Transparency, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

March 31, 2026

Irish unity, Palestine and Soleimani: Analysis of an Iranian information operation targeting Ireland

Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour, Data Access and Transparency, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

March 14, 2026

Iran floods global social media with AI content during ongoing conflict

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

March 9, 2026

ISD investigation exposes sophistication of Russian interference in EU and beyond

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

March 7, 2026

AI floods the Iran conflict narrative with misinformation and state influence

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

March 5, 2026

A “narrative war” unfolds online after US-Israel strikes on Iran

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

Further Reading

June 10, 2022

ISD’s Jacob Davey on the mainstreaming of the ‘Great Replacement’ theory

ISD's Jacob Davey took part in a panel for The Real Story on BBC World Service discussing the dynamics driving the Great Replacement conspiracy.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

May 27, 2022

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.   

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence

May 26, 2022

Australians dissatisfied with election outcome turn to baseless voter fraud theories

ISD's Elise Thomas spoke with VICE News about the general conspiracist sentiment setting over Australia since the general elections in May.

Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

May 20, 2022

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.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

May 19, 2022

The ‘Great Reset’ conspiracy in Australia

This Dispatch is the first of two on World Economic Forum and 'Great Reset' conspiracy theories spread during the 2022 Australian federal elections.

Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

May 5, 2022

The Murky Origin Story of #IstandwithRussia

This briefing note is intended to understand the origins and tactics of the #IstandwithRussia campaign before the 2022 Australian federal election.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

May 5, 2022

An antisemitic conspiracy theory is being shared on Telegram to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

This Dispatch explores how the antisemitic “Khazarian Mafia” conspiracy theory is being directed at the war in Ukraine.

Antisemitism, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

April 20, 2022

‘Sovereign Citizens,’ the conspiracists that believe they are above local laws

Ciarán O'Connor talks to VICE about the intersection between the long-standing anti-government 'Sovereign Citizen' ideology and COVID-19.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

April 19, 2022

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.

Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

April 4, 2022

The Vladimirror Network: Pro-Putin Power-Users on Facebook

This briefing outlines the mechanics, narratives, and linkages of the pro-Putin power users which generate millions of posts across Facebook.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

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