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.
Kristine Berzina on China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy in BBC
Senior Fellow Kristine Berzina spoke to BBC about China's "wolf warrior" diplomacy during the coronavirus pandemic. China has dispatched an increasingly vocal cadre of diplomats out into the world of social media to take on all comers with, at tim [...]
Lindsay Gorman and Elsa B. Kania on the U.S. Response to China’s Intellectual Property Theft in Foreign Policy
Instead of restricting Chinese students from U.S. academic and scientific research, U.S. concerns and policy responses should focus on how to counter the tactics and mechanisms that China’s party-state exploits for tech transfer, Emerging Technologi [...]
Hamilton Weekly Report: May 2-8, 2020
Russia Toplines The coronavirus remained an important topic in the Russian media ecosystem last week, though its margin of prominence again declined as compared to the previous week. Most pandemic content relayed basic news updates; although, critic [...]
Nad’a Kovalcikova Talks Disinformation in Europe with Alliance4Europe
Program Manager Nad'a Kovalcikova joined an Europe's Day webinar panel hosted by the Alliance4Europe entitled "True or false? How disinformation divides, and what can bring us together." The panel was part of the Citizens Take Over Europe program. [...]
Lindsay Gorman Talks Data, Privacy, and the Coronavirus Pandemic with CBS News’ Dan Patterson
As governments ramp up contact tracing apps to contain the coronavirus, concerns have arisen about how to do this safely and in a way that protects civil liberties in the ongoing struggle between democracy and authoritarianism. Emerging Technologies [...]
David Levine Discusses Election Security during the Coronavirus Pandemic on ‘2020 Talks’
Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine joined "2020 Talks" to discuss election security amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Foreign interference is still a huge concern for election security experts, in addition to the safety concerns of the coronav [...]
Jessica Brandt Talks New Disinformation Challenges during the Coronavirus Pandemic on the ‘War on the Rocks’ podcast
In this episode of the War on the Rocks podcast, Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, sits down with Jessica Brandt, head of policy and research for the Alliance for Securing Democracy, and Camille Francois, chief in [...]
Laura Rosenberger on Countering Chinese and Russian Digital Influence Operations with CNAS
Director Laura Rosenberger joined a panel of experts convened by the Center for a New American Security for a webinar discussion entitled "Countering China and Russian Influence Operations." [...]
Hamilton Weekly Report: April 25-May 1, 2020
Russia Toplines Coronavirus maintained its position as the most prominent topic for the Russian media ecosystem last week, though its dominance declined from the previous week. Much of this coverage focused on basic news updates, with some emphasis [...]
Ensuring Safe Elections: Federal Funding Needs for State and Local Governments During the Pandemic
ASD’s Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine joined with experts from the Brennan Center, Pitt Cyber, and R Street to produce a new report that provides an in-depth look at the equipment, staffing, supplies, and other costs of administering electi [...]
David Levine on Election Security during the Coronavirus Pandemic in The Fulcrum
Election officials should take three essential steps to ensure elections conducted amidst the coronavirus pandemic are free, fair, and secure, Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine argues in The Fulcrum. He suggests that officials follow professio [...]
Nad’a Kovalcikova on China’s Coronavirus Disinformation Efforts in Europe in Het Financieele Dagblad
Program Manager Nad'a Kovalcikova spoke to Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad about China's disinformation efforts in Europe during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as reports that an EEAS report on this disinformation was toned down under pre [...]