Geoshawk, a disinfo dispatch: No.35

New study says blockchain could help combat misinfo, EU hosting companies forced to suspend accts linked to Russian disinfo, Houthis garner power via disinfo, & 10 years of Russian MH17 disinfo

Hey, I’m Alan, & welcome to Geoshawk. Geoshawk curates news & research on influence operations, with sections on tech, election integrity, miscellaneous news/research, & regional focuses on the USA, MENA, Russia, the Caucasus, & Central Asia.

I hope you enjoy Geoshawk!

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Tech Watch:

• Study says blockchain could help combat AI misinformation (Techxplore, 19 July)

• AI Remains a Wild Card in the War Against Disinformation (Dark Reading, 18 July)

• Hugo Mercier says we’ve been misinformed about misinformation (Freethink, 17 July)

Election Integrity:

• Huge disinformation networks ensnared France and Germany ahead of EU elections (Euronews, 18 July)

Miscellaneous News & Research:

• Behind the scenes of China's first independent fact-checking initiative (IJNET, 19 July)

• South Korea restarts blaring propaganda broadcasts to retaliate against North’s trash balloon flying (AP News, 19 July)

• When party propaganda falls flat (Economist, 18 July)

• How to avoid falling for misinformation and conspiracy theories (Washingtonpost, 15 July)

• Even Disinformation Experts Don’t Know How to Stop It (NYT, 11 July)

Regions:

• USA

  • Russia and China pounce on Trump rally shooting to undermine U.S. (Washingtonpost, 16 July)

  • Brazil Case Offers Insight on Predictable Misinformation Post-Trump Shooting (Tech Policy Press, 16 July)

  • The attack on Donald Trump unleashes a flood of misinformation (Economist, 15 July)

• MENA

  • In China and Iran, state media used Trump assassination attempt to accuse West of neglecting Gaza crisis (Polygraph, 16 July)

  • Houthis drive power through disinformation campaign, research reveals (Iran International, 14 July)

• RUSSIA

  • Investigation prompts European hosting companies to suspend accounts linked to Russian disinfo (Recorded Future, 19 July)

  • New Report Documents Russia’s Disinformation Campaign Against Ukraine (Human Rights First, 18 July)

  • Russian Propaganda Blames Biden and Ukrainians For Trump Shooting (Cipher Brief, 17 July)

  • MH17: ten years of Russian lying and denying (EUvsDisinfo, 16 July)

• CAUCASUS

  • Civil Society and Media Groups in Georgia Challenge Foreign Agents Law in Constitutional Court (Caucasuswatch, 18 July)

  • Parliament Speaker claims “coordinated assault of disinformation” over transparency law “confirmed” by study (Agenda, 15 July)

• CENTRAL ASIA

  • All quiet on the CA front!