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

March 24, 2022

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.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

March 23, 2022

QAnon goes to China – via Russia

This Dispatch looks at the shift in QAnon conspiracy communities as China's president Xi Jinping is recast from villain to hero.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

February 27, 2022

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 may have across the political spectrum.

Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Public Health

February 22, 2022

‘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 capital.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

February 15, 2022

Protestors temporarily unite under “anti” movement in Canberra, but what will the long-lasting effects be?

Elise Thomas features in the Talk of the Times from the Canberra Times looking at the unifying nature of the "anti-" protests occurring in the city.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

February 15, 2022

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.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Public Health

February 4, 2022

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.

Far-Left Extremism, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Public Health

January 19, 2022

Conspiracy Clickbait: This One Weird Trick Will Undermine Democracy

This report studies the growth of conspiracy theories as clickbait, which will supercharge existing problems of disinformation and polarization.

Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour, Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

January 19, 2022

Conspiracy Clickbait: Raking in the Views

This report investigates a group of YouTube and Telegram channels using QAnon content to monetize via YouTube ads and sell merchandise to US audiences

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

January 19, 2022

Conspiracy Clickbait: Farming Facebook

This case study examines how a network of Facebook pages and groups linked to individuals in Vietnam are using QAnon to build authentic US audiences.

Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

Previous 1141516171819 Next