The coronavirus pandemic is creating an opportunity for foreign actors who seek to undermine Western democracies to advance their goals. From weekly reports that track messaging from Russian and Chinese state-backed media and diplomatic actors, to pieces that analyze the geopolitical impact of crisis, ASD’s work on coronavirus can be found here.
Masks Off: Chinese Coronavirus Assistance in Europe
ASD Research Assistant Etienne Soula and GMF Asia researchers Franziska Luettge, Melissa Ladner, and Manisha Reuter find that from March to April 2020, the Chinese Communist Party and large Chinese companies made at least 70 prominent donations to [...]
Kristine Berzina on Europe’s Coronavirus Travel Ban on Euronews
Senior Fellow Kristine Berzina spoke to Euronews about the EU's decision to keep the United States off its list of non-EU countries whose residents are allowed to visit the bloc. "This may be unpopular but it is very difficult to dispute the fact [...]
Nad’a Kovalčíková on NATO’s Approach Toward China with Women in International Security
Fellow and Program Manager Nad’a Kovalčíková was interviewed on Women in International Security's new podcast, "WIIS Brussels Voices," about NATO's approach toward China. Nad’a Kovalčíková and RAND's Gabrielle Tarini discussed their new policy pap [...]
Competitive Strategies for Democracy in the Age of AI
Introduction In a 1972 paper for the United States Air Force Project at RAND, the late Andrew Marshall defined what he called a more “efficient, effective U.S. competitive role.”A.W. Marshall, Long-Term Competition with the Soviets: A Framework fo [...]
Hamilton Weekly Report: June 13-19, 2020
Overview For the first time since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, coverage of racism, police brutality, and related protests did not feature among the top ten hashtags or key phrases (in aggregate) used by Russian, Chinese, and Iranian d [...]
Lindsay Gorman on Zoom’s Tiananmen Debacle and Democratic Values in Newsweek
American companies like Zoom need to support our values of openness and freedom of information at home and abroad, Emerging Technologies Fellow Lindsay Gorman argues in Newsweek. Americans are increasingly relying on video conferencing software fo [...]
Laura Rosenberger on Chinese Information Operations on ‘The Lawfare Podcast’
On this episode of Lawfare's Arbiters of Truth series on disinformation, Alina Polyakova and Quinta Jurecic spoke with ASD Director Laura Rosenberger about Chinese information operations. When it comes to information operations, most Americans pro [...]
Ariane Tabatabai on Iran’s Push of False Coronavirus, Protest Info in Effort to Lift Sanctions on Newsy
Middle East Fellow Ariane Tabatabai spoke to Newsy about how Iran is using its social media presence to spread messages about the U.S.' handling of the coronavirus pandemic and racial justice protests. For years, Iran has been ramping up its online [...]
Hamilton Weekly Report: June 6-12, 2020
Overview As with the past four months, the coronavirus was yet again the primary topic discussed by Russian, Chinese, and Iranian messengers, though the specific narratives differed depending on the country. China’s diplomats and state media, for ex [...]
Lindsay Gorman on Zoom’s China Episode in ChinaFiles
Emerging Technologies Fellow Lindsay Gorman joined a group of experts to discuss Zoom's recent episode where it blocked accounts at Beijing's request and whether or not it's possible for foreign companies with a presence in China to maintain their s [...]
David Levine Talks U.S. Election Security on ‘Press Pool with Julie Mason’
Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine was interviewed on SiriusXM's "Press Pool with Julie Mason" about U.S. election security. He discussed the potential for foreign interference, disinformation, and voting changes during the coronavirus pandemic [...]
Kristine Berzina, Lindsay Gorman, & Nad’a Kovalcikova on TikTok’s Membership in the EU’s Code of Practice on Disinformation in EUobserver
In an op-ed for EUobserver, Senior Fellow Kristine Berzina, Emerging Technologies Fellow Lindsay Gorman, and Fellow and Program Manager Nad'a Kovalcikova argue that TikTok's membership in the EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation risks prematurely [...]