Thread by @EUvsDisinfo

2020 has brought many challenges and with them - a large volume of #disinformation. Here’s our recap! (THREAD 1/20)
euvsdisinfo.eu/what-happened-…

In late JANUARY we collected the first examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation spinning conspiracy theories about the origins of COVID-19. (2/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/conspiratorial…

In FEBRUARY disinfo outlets kept amplifying conspiracy theories about COVID-19, no matter how ridiculous. The @WHO warned that the pandemic was accompanied by “infodemic”: an unprecedented flood of false or inaccurate information about coronavirus. (3/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/nothing-can-be…

In MARCH Josep Borrell, the head of the European External Action Service, warned: “disinformation can kill”. euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation…

In APRIL global activist network @Avaaz found that harmful misinformation on coronavirus was shared over 1.7 million times on Facebook and viewed an estimated 117 million times. (5/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/figure-of-the-…

The eventual slowing down of infection rates in Europe decreased the volume of COVID-19 related disinformation. In MAY it was no longer cool to fuel anti-vaxx moods on Russian TVs. Oscar-winning film director N.Mikhalkov had to learn it the hard way. (6/20)euvsdisinfo.eu/covid-19-mosco…

Nonetheless, Disinformation narrative about “secret labs”, an old darling of pro-Kremlin disinformation, found new prominence, as it was increasingly adopted by Chinese sources. (7/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/the-secret-lab…

In JUNE, as the racial justice protests spread in the US, pro-Kremlin pundits could hardly contain their glee. (8/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/lets-get-the-p…

In JULY, following the spurious voting process to adopt amendments to the Russian constitution, the Kremlin intensified crack down on independent journalism. (9/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/mind-your-own-…

Disinformation campaign aiming to obfuscate the Kremlin’s responsibility for downing flight #MH17 continued into 6th year. As more and more evidence of Russia’s direct involvement came to light, pro-Kremlin disinformation began grasping at straws. (10/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/six-years-of-m…

In AUGUST protests against the results of rigged presidential election began in Belarus. To aid the embattled dictator, Russian media “specialists” were soon dispatched to the country. (11/20)
euvsdisinfo.eu/question-less-…

A Botched assassination attempt at Alexei #Navalny put pro-Kremlin media in a crisis management mode. In a striking case of déjà vu, disinformation outlets sought to muddy the waters just like they did in 2018 after Salisbury attack. (12/20)

In SEPTEMBER our research showed, that pro-Kremlin disinformation on #Navalny poisoning has found a fertile ground in Germany. (13/20)
euvsdisinfo.eu/navalny-poison…

Throughout the autumn the pro-Kremlin media were busy promoting Sputnik V vaccine to global audiences. Particular attention was paid to Latin America. (14/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/pro-kremlin-me…

In OCTOBER, as renewed fighting in Nagorno Karabakh continued, pro-Kremlin outlets presented pictures from the video game as authentic war footage. (15/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/errare-humanum…

In NOVEMBER as protracted tally of the votes followed the #USElections2020, the pro-Kremlin media amplified conspiracy theories alleging election fraud. (16/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/kremlin-and-th…

Presidential election in Moldova were also a target, in particular Moldova's president elect Maia #Sandu. (17/20) euvsdisinfo.eu/the-other-elec…

As the challenging year came to the end, DECEMBER brought silver linings: @bellingcat investigations shed light on FSB officers implicated in the poisoning of #Navalny. (18/20) bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-eu… and bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-eu…

Belarusian opposition received the #SakharovPrize for Freedom of Thought, the highest tribute paid by the European Union to human rights work (19/20)

https://twitter.com/Europarl_EN/status/1339195670578782208

And the EU took further steps to strengthen its response to disinformation! (20/20)

https://twitter.com/VeraJourova/status/1339496269224570882