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.

Public Health

ISD conducts research to understand the impact of information operations on public health. We focus on identifying false and misleading online content about medical conditions and procedures, and the networks engaged in spreading it. We have extensively documented attempts to spread disinformation around sexual and reproductive health as well as vaccinations. ISD produces regular analysis and commentary on the effects of health crises on governance, social polarisation, the information landscape and political discourse.

March 16, 2026

Dangerous narratives: The ecosystem of Germanic New Medicine

This Dispatch explores how key actors spread false and misleading narratives, monetise courses and seminars supported with AI technology.

Information Warfare and Online Manipulation, Public Health

March 16, 2026

‘Germanic New Medicine’ spreads dangerously on Telegram, ISD finds

Commercial Disinformation and Scams, Public Health

April 15, 2025

Toxic beauty amongst men? The rise of ‘looksmaxxing’ fuels a new digital aesthetic industry

Public Health

January 29, 2025

ISD’s Cécile Simmons speaks to AFP about how podcasts spread health misinformation

Public Health, Tech Accountability and Safety

October 25, 2024

How women seeking information about health and wellness are recommended sites that promote election denialism

Far-Right Extremism, Public Health

January 25, 2024

Networks of Dissuasion: Mapping Online Attacks on Reproductive Rights in France

Public Health

January 17, 2024

Mobilisation anti-avortement en France : Quand les réseaux sociaux menacent le droit à l’IVG

Public Health

November 22, 2023

Wellness influencers shift toward anti-climate conspiracies as pandemic subsides

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Public Health, Terrorism and Extremism

November 21, 2023

The Irish mis- and disinformation ecosystem has grown and evolved since the pandemic

Anti-LGBTQ+, Anti-Migrant, Far-Right Extremism, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Public Health, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse, Terrorism and Extremism

Further Reading

August 23, 2022

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 latched on to monkeypox in the same way they did with COVID-19.

Anti-LGBTQ+, Public Health, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse

August 19, 2022

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.

Anti-LGBTQ+, Public Health

August 16, 2022

La campagne de l’intimidation : étude de cas des violences numériques envers les candidats aux élections de 2022

Ce rapport couvre le harcèlement et les attaques contre les candidats aux élections françaises de 2022.

Anti-Migrant, Democratic Integrity, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Public Health, Terrorism and Extremism

August 8, 2022

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.

Anti-LGBTQ+, Public Health, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse

July 30, 2022

‘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'.

Public Health, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse, Terrorism and Extremism

July 3, 2022

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. 

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Information Warfare and Online Manipulation, Public Health

May 4, 2022

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 connected to ultra-conservative groups.

Anti-LGBTQ+, Public Health

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 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 14, 2022

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 spreading across the France.

Public Health

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