DFRLab - @dfrlab.bsky.social Profile picture
Sep 17, 2020 7 tweets 5 min read Read on X
As fires rage across the western United States, doctored social media posts have gone viral primarily blaming leftist group #Antifa for setting fires forcing local authorities to divert resources to debunk these instances of #disinformation. medium.com/dfrlab/inauthe…
Mass reporting by locals has hampered coordination of relief efforts. Local law enforcement throughout the affected areas has taken to social media to urge the public to rely on official sources for information, and to refrain from sharing unverified rumors.
Several conservative Facebook groups and pages shared a screengrab of an alleged #antifa Twitter account, @ScarsdaleAntifa, who claimed that they had started the fires. Evidence suggests this is an inauthentic account created by a 4chan user to troll or confuse antifa supporters.
Rumors of #antifa's involvement were promoted by conservative politicians and activists including a Republican candidate for Senate in #Oregon. Though some appended their initial remarks, the original accusations found greater viral success.
Though #antifa was most frequently accused, the Proud Boys, a far-right group, were also accused without evidence of having set fires. A fake Medford Police Facebook post was circulated online. The Medford Police have debunked claims of arresting members of either group.
The @nytimes also ran a piece on the troll @ScarsdaleAntifa account, citing the @DFRLab, and how the account was amplified by the aforementioned conservative voices and QAnon supporters.
nytimes.com/2020/09/16/tec…
Correction: In the first tweet of this thread, #antifa is referred to as a "group". Antifa is not a formally recognized organization or group but rather a political protest movement generally associated with left-wing ideologies.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with DFRLab - @dfrlab.bsky.social

DFRLab - @dfrlab.bsky.social Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @DFRLab

Jun 11
Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, the digital tool "Words of Iron" emerged to amplify pro-Israel messages & mass-report content deemed false or anti-Israel. Targeting online users in the US & abroad, it represents a shift in wartime propaganda. dfrlab.org/2024/06/11/onl…
Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, the "Words of Iron" website began assisting users in sharing pre-written pro-Israel messages and mass-reporting content deemed false or anti-Israel by the tool. Thousands of accounts used it within days of the conflict.
This tool is part of an unfolding digital space, where various pro-Israel groups launched digital tools supporting Israel’s public diplomacy efforts, reflecting a significant evolution in the approach to wartime propaganda.
Read 12 tweets
Jun 11
In a controversial move, far-right parties in the Identity and Democracy (ID) coalition used generative AI in their European Parliament election campaigns, despite a signed code of conduct prohibiting it. The latest by @gyron_bydton: dfrlab.org/2024/06/11/far…
France’s Rassemblement National and Italy’s Lega, both members of ID, deployed AI-generated imagery to support their political messaging. These images depicted migrants as “invaders,” tractors in protests, and EU politicians in an unfavorable light. Image
These synthetic images violated an April 2024 voluntary code of conduct mandating clear labeling of AI-generated content. Of dozens of instances identified by DFRLab, only one was labeled correctly. The ID group has used generative AI since at least October 2023. Image
Read 9 tweets
Jun 10
REPORT ALERT🚨 We're excited to announce, "Another Battlefield: Telegram as a Digital Front in Russia’s War Against Ukraine." This year-long research project delves into Telegram's crucial role in Russia's information warfare against Ukraine. Read more: dfrlab.org/2024/06/10/ano…
In the two years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Telegram has become a pivotal platform for understanding the Russian perspective on the war. It remains one of the few windows into Russian sentiment, from the public to the Kremlin.
The Kremlin's crackdown on Western social media while leveraging Telegram solidified the platform's influence, where it has become a primary source for observing Russian narratives and state propaganda.
Read 15 tweets
May 29
In a recent investigation by @gyron_bydton and @Olari_Victoria, web forensics and domain analysis reveal significant connections between Moldovan pro-Russia news outlets and local political figures. The DFRLab’s latest: 🧵1/10 dfrlab.org/2024/05/28/web…
Our investigation shows that several Moldovan media outlets share web infrastructure with Russia-backed political parties. This includes hosting services from Russian companies and shared Google Analytics codes. 2/10
Irina Vlah, the former governor of Gagauzia, is a key figure. Her 2019 campaign website was linked to multiple pro-Russian media outlets through backend data and passive DNS records, revealing Russian hosting origins. 3/10
Read 10 tweets
Mar 28
New from @DFRLab🚨 An inauthentic campaign is spreading Islamophobic content targeting Canadians. The network, including 50+ Facebook accounts, 18+ Instagram accounts, & 100+ on X, amplifies hate speech through AI-generated photos & coordinated tactics. shorturl.at/bfCMX
This network, employing AI-generated photos and fake accounts, amplified the United Citizens for Canada (UCC), posing as a Canadian nonprofit while disseminating anti-Muslim narratives. Image
@Meta has taken initial action against these assets, but the investigation is ongoing. The network, discovered during analysis of another suspicious campaign targeting UNRWA, exhibits coordinated behavior across platforms while directly targeting Canadian media and journalists. Image
Read 7 tweets
Mar 26
An investigation by @SGelava has unearthed a disturbing trend: more than 100 Facebook assets are fueling the spread of pro-Kremlin propaganda in Bulgaria through links to external websites. Read more: dfrlab.org/2024/03/26/sus…
The DFRLab discovered a network of Facebook assets promoting websites targeting Bulgarian audiences with misleading content, echoing Kremlin propaganda. This cluster comprises 44 pages, 30 groups, and 28 accounts. Image
Notably, these sites have been accused of spreading Kremlin disinformation, including false narratives that NATO is preparing for war with Russia by undertaking exercises in Poland. Image
Read 6 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(