ASD contributes long and short form research products and analysis to inform and engage our audience on a range of issues related to malign foreign interference. In addition, we develop policy recommendations and strategies to close vulnerabilities and safeguard institutions from authoritarian threats.
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June 2019
Deepfake Myths: Common Misconceptions About Synthetic Media
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence convened yesterday to discuss the challenges posed by AI-manipulated media, better known as deepfakes. There is finally some momentum to “do something” about deepfakes, but crucial misconceptions [...]
Clint Watts Testifies Before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: AI and Deepfakes
Clint Watts Distinguished Research Fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute Non-Resident Fellow, Alliance For Securing Democracy, German Marshall Fund of the United States Author, Messing With The Enemy: Surviving in a Social Media World of Hacker [...]
In Addressing PRC Interference, South Korea Plays Delicate Geopolitical Game
“No.” This was the one-word answer by a senior South Korean official, when asked directly if Beijing’s political interference was a threat to South Korean democracy. In multiple discussions held last week in Seoul, South Korean officials either disc [...]
Italy’s Risky Realignment
Every Italian learns about Marco Polo, a young merchant who left his native Venice in 1271, travelled to China, and returned home twenty-four years later with riches and treasure. Today, Italy’s government is betting that moving closer to Beijing wi [...]
Nine Questions Lawmakers Should Ask at the June 13th Hearing on AI and Deepfakes
On Thursday, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence will host a panel of experts to discuss the national security challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI), manipulated media, and “deepfake” technology. The committee will examin [...]
European Elections Retrospective
As results from last week’s European Parliament elections roll in, one thing is clear: traditional political parties that once commanded majorities across the Union’s member states suffered defeats of varying degrees of severity. Although not as mu [...]
May 2019
Heidi Tworek Testifies Before the International Grand Committee on Big Data, Privacy, and Democracy
International Grand Committee on Big Data, Privacy, and Democracy May 27, 2019, Ottawa, Canada Remarks by Dr. Heidi Tworek, Assistant Professor of International History at the University of British Columbia, Visiting Fellow at the Joint Center for [...]
The Many Faces of Foreign Interference in European Elections
Citizens of the European Union’s 28 member states go to the polls this week to choose their representatives to the European Parliament. Following Russian interference in several high-profile elections over the past three years, European governments [...]
Ten Questions Lawmakers Should ask Tech Companies and Government Officials on Election Security
Today, representatives from Facebook, Twitter, and Google, as well as several government officials, will testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The hearing will serve as an opportunity for congressional leaders to gauge the gove [...]
Laura Rosenberger’s Testimony Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee: “Undermining Democracy: Kremlin Tools of Malign Political Influence”
Statement by Laura Rosenberger, Director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy and Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States BEFORE THE UNITED STATES HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS Concerning: “Undermining Democracy: Kreml [...]
April 2019
Illicit Influence – Part Two – The Energy Weapon
The Energy Weapon is second in a six part series on Illicit Influence, published by the Alliance for Securing Democracy and C4ADS. The first part, A Case Study of the First Czech Russian Bank, can be found here. Russia has a long his [...]
Advanced Persistent Manipulators, Part Two: Intelligence-led Social Media Defense
Clint Watts is Non-Resident Fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy and Distinguished Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He is the author of Messing With The Enemy: Surviving in a Social Media World of Hackers, Terroris [...]