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Browse resources on authoritarian sharp power and its effects on the integrity of institutions and globalized spaces.
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Publication Date: September 29, 2023
Sweden Accuses Iran of Targeted ‘Misinformation’ about Quran Burnings
Authoritarian Country: Iran, Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Sweden
Author: Seth J. Frantzman
Iran and Russia-backed disinformation campaigns have used recent Quran burnings to manipulate sentiments in Sweden. Fearing the effects of these malign efforts, the Swedish government has tasked its Agency for Psychological Defense with countering these campaigns.
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Moldova’s President Calls Out Russian Meddling
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Moldova
Author: Ahshish Kumar Sen
Moldova has sought support of the EU and international community to safeguard its democratic processes against Russian subversion. Russian tactics include election interference, disinformation, and economic blackmail.
Publication Date: March 23, 2023
China, Russia Target Audiences Online With Deep Fakes, Replica Front Pages
Authoritarian Country: China, Russia
Affected Region: Global
Author: Liam Scott
Concern has grown over Russia and China’s use of AI to impersonate trusted international media outlets and personalities in bids to manipulate information around the globe. Researchers anticipate the volume and quality of deep fakes to intensify, contributing to a further erosion of trust in media.
Publication Date: March 19, 2022
Why are Indonesians on Social Media so Supportive of Russia?
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Asia-Pacific, Indonesia
Pro-Russian content regarding the war in Ukraine have dominated Indonesian social media. These sentiments are driven in part by resentment towards the United States, Russia’s academic diplomacy with Indonesia, and the Indonesian public’s personal identification with Putin’s strongman character.
Publication Date: February 13, 2024
Expansion of Kremlin-backed Media in Bosnia Is a Concern, Analysts Say
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Author: Amina Bijelonja Muminovic, Inda Swanke, Amer Jahic
The Kremlin-backed news outlet, Russia Today (RT), is expanding its influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The growing ties may foster anti-Western values and hinder Bosnia’s path to NATO and EU membership.
Publication Date: December 6, 2023
Fake Taylor Swift Quotes Are Being Used to Spread Anti-Ukraine Propaganda
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Global
Author: David Gilbert
The Kremlin has launched an information campaign using doctored images of high-profile celebrities to spread anti-Ukrainian messaging. The campaign reached at least 7.6 million people on Facebook alone, casting doubt over Meta’s willingness and ability to filter deceptive content.
Source: MapInfluenCE
Publication Date: April 1, 2022
From East with Love: Dissecting Pro-China Bias in Czech and Slovak Alternative Media
Authoritarian Country: China, Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Czechia, Slovakia
Author: Veronika Blablová et. al.
‘Research found confluence of Sino-Russian narratives in alternative media in Slovakia and Czechia, particularly regarding Hong Kong and Taiwan. The articles localized issues to domestic audiences and amplified Chinese and Russian perspectives at the expense of local views.
Source: BBC
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
The UK Company Spreading Russian Fake News to Millions
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Middle East and North Africa, Europe, United Kingdom, Syria
Author: Hannah Gelbart
Russia exploited British corporate registry laws to register an Arabic-language propaganda company in the UK. In reality, the site, which republishes content from RT Arabic and Sputnik, has been operated out of Syria with the support of Moscow.
Source: New York Times
Publication Date: November 3, 2023
In a Worldwide War of Words, Russia, China and Iran Back Hamas
Authoritarian Country: China, Iran, Russia
Affected Region: Global
Author: Steven Lee Myers, Sheera Frenkel
Russia, China, and Iran have launched information campaigns to amplify messaging from Hamas’s online propaganda efforts. Outlets including Russia’s Sputnik India and RT en Español have echoed anti-western rhetoric and coopted anti-imperial messages to influence audiences across the Global South.
Publication Date: October 25, 2023
Capitalizing on Crisis: Russia, China and Iran use X to Exploit Israel-Hamas Information Chaos
Authoritarian Country: China, Iran, Russia
Affected Region: Global, Middle East and North Africa, Israel, North America, United States
State-linked social media accounts from Iran, Russia, and China have used the Israel-Hamas conflict to spread disinformation and anti-Western rhetoric. This disinformation includes manipulated videos, false claims about US involvement in the conflict, and dangerous demonization of Israeli civilians.
Source: The Hill
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Russia, China, Iran State Media See Boost on X After Removal of ‘State-Affiliated’ Labels
Authoritarian Country: China, Iran, Russia
Affected Region: Global
Author: Julia Shapero
State-run X accounts from Russia, China, and Iran saw engagement increase up to 70% following the removal of “state-affiliated” labels and related post restrictions. The replacement of X’s verification system with subscription-based checkmarks has also amplified posts and imbued false legitimacy.
Source: Digital Front Lines
Publication Date: August 18, 2023
How Russia Makes Friends and Influences Audiences in Latin America
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Dominican Republic, Latin America and the Caribbean, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua
Author: Clint Watts
In 2023, Russian state media outlet RT en Español reached more viewers in Latin America than the BBC or CNN. Deals with over 1000 regional TV providers and coordinated efforts with regional autocracies to air Russian propaganda on their state-affiliated outlets led to this proliferation.
Source: Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodística
Publication Date: August 7, 2023
Rosatom, Russia’s Nuclear Agency, and its Information Strategy to Win Bids in Latin America
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Latin America and the Caribbean, Bolivia, Nicaragua
Author: Pablo Medina et. al.
As Russia’s nuclear agency, Rosatom, ramped up investment in Latin America, leaders signed agreements to strengthen their “digital communications strategies” and Russia-positive content has begun to appear in local media. Rosatom’s consultants have also intervened to sway local election results.
Publication Date: June 20, 2023
Almost 400 Websites Spread Russian Propaganda in Bulgaria
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Bulgaria
Author: Krassen Nikolov
Bulgaria has seen a rapid growth in Russian propaganda over the past year, spreading disinformation and fake news through a network of growing mushroom sites, or websites created by malicious actors to project disinformation.
Publication Date: April 21, 2023
Kremlin Tries to Build Antiwar Coalition in Germany, Documents Show
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Germany
Author: Catherine Belton et. al
The Kremlin used lavish trips and financial support to elevate pro-Russian voices on Ukraine in German far-right and far-left political parties. The goal was to promote pro-Russian views on Ukraine within the German public and dissuade further German assistance to Ukraine.