Duke Reporter’s Lab: 2026 census: Fact-checking losses continue amid funding pressure, but most projects persist. “For the first time in the Duke Reporters’ Lab count, three-times as many fact-checkers closed their doors as opened them last year. Our tally shows 10 new fact-checking projects in 2025, compared with more than 30 that stopped posting.”

The sudden rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation is not organic. It is the result of "a sophisticated, transnationally networked information operation"

https://open.substack.com/pub/redbridgeintel/p/call-it-what-it-is-foreign-interference

#auspol #InformationWarfare #politics #disinformation

RE: https://mastodon.scot/@IndyRichard/116742831243262904

Informative, outrageous; & the Israeli govt apparently knew nothing about it: “Before scrubbing its online presence following enquiries from Reuters, ⁠BlackCore described itself ​as "an elite influence, cyber, and technology company built for the modern era of information warfare." It said ​it provided governments and political campaigns with "cutting-edge strategies, advanced tools, and robust security to shape narratives."
“It has not responded to repeated requests for comment.
“Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter in Paris. Writing by Dominique Vidalon and Gabriel ​Stargardter. Additional reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington, John Irish in Paris and Sam Tabahriti in London. Editing by Susan Fenton, Matthew Lewis and Kevin Liffey and Mark Potter”

#BlackCore #Israel #Scotland #AIBots #misinformation #disinformation #shapeNarratives #eliteInfluence #informationWarfare #notSoRobustSecurity

Oh yeah, do not use the #-certain-country-in-the-middle-east engaged in genocide and an illegal war.

Unless you want to Beetlejuice hasbra bots.

#informationwarfare

The Register: Chinese agents caught rebuilding botnets and stirring the pot on AI datacenter debate. “Multiple reports indicate that Chinese operatives continue using every tech tool at their disposal – including American AI – to amass data on and manipulate everyone from security-clearance holders to everyday US citizens. And they’re trying to influence public opinion on building […]

CBC: Facebook is paying people overseas promoting Alberta separatism. “Nieta Aqila is among 14 overseas accounts CBC identified in four popular Alberta independence Facebook groups. The accounts have posted politically divisive content about Alberta separatism, Western annexation and other hot-button Canadian topics within the past two months.”

Gizmodo: Kalshi Asks Influencers to Take Down Sponsored Conspiracy Posts About the LA Election. “According to reporting from Semafor, the prediction market Kalshi sought to clean up apparent messes on Friday after some of its influencer relationships essentially made it look like it was paying to distribute conspiracy content online. Posts have now been removed at Kalshi’s request. However, […]