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

October 16, 2020

TikTok fails to stop the spread of QAnon conspiracies on its platform

Simple techniques such as alternative hashtag spellings can circumvent TikTok's measures to combat the spread of QAnon content.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Tech Accountability and Safety

October 16, 2020

Aoife Gallagher explains QAnon’s innerworkings for The Sun

In an op-ed for The Sun, Aoife Gallagher explains the QAnon conspiracy theory.

Far-Right Extremism, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence

October 6, 2020

QAnon and Conspiracy Beliefs

The findings from a study into understanding the relationship between QAnon and the broader problem of conspiracy theory beliefs.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Terrorism and Extremism, Threat Analysis and Prevention

August 11, 2020

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.

Far-Right Extremism, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

August 4, 2020

Reply All: Inauthenticity and Coordinated Replying in Pro-Chinese Communist Party Twitter Networks

ISD and ASD report sheds light on the tactics used to manipulate information through the case study of a pro-Chinese Communist Party Twitter network.

Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

July 24, 2020

The Genesis of a Conspiracy Theory

This briefing paper provides an overview of the key trends in activity around the QAnon conspiracy theory from 2017 to 2020.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Terrorism and Extremism

July 23, 2020

QAnon, coronavirus and the conspiracy cult

Aoife Gallagher makes her BBC debut on video report about QAnon, coronavirus and the conspiracy cult.

Far-Right Extremism, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Terrorism and Extremism

June 30, 2020

How Covid-19 spread QAnon in Germany

Jakob Guhl, Coordinator in Policy & Research, contributed to this story on Coda about the sprawling movement which centers on an alleged “deep state.”

Democratic Integrity, Far-Right Extremism, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

May 11, 2020

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.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Public Health

January 1, 1970

Inflection point: The tactics and targets of Russian state and pro-Kremlin propaganda to undermine international support for Ukraine

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation

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