Check First

Roska Bridge: pro-Russian IMS exploits decentralised platforms

Uncovered a Russian IMS using the Brid.gy service to auto-cross-post from hundreds of Mastodon accounts to Bluesky, laundering sanctioned RT/Sputnik/Pravda content via decentralised platforms' weak moderation.

Noise without effect: anti-Pashinyan disinformation ahead of Armenian elections

Monitoring ahead of Armenian elections found foreign manipulation targeting PM Pashinyan; French TikTok users searching his name saw mostly hostile, partly AI-generated content from Kremlin-, diaspora- and Azerbaijan-linked accounts.

Operation Overload: an AI-fuelled escalation ('Overload 2')

The operation escalated using AI-generated content; Telegram is the central hub (673 channels) while ~11,000 X accounts amplify it. TikTok demoted accounts only after 3M+ views.

'Pravda' Network: Worldwide Expansion and LLM/Wikipedia Pollution

With DFRLab, showed the Russian 'Pravda' network expanded globally and polluted LLMs and Wikipedia; X's Community Notes failed to address its spread.

Influence by Design: How Meta Accepted Russian Propaganda Payments Despite Sanctions

With Reset.tech and AI Forensics, revealed Meta ran 8,000+ pro-Russian ads tied to the sanctioned Social Design Agency, earning ~$338,000 between Aug 2023-Oct 2024 despite sanctions.

Meta's Role in Romania's 2024 Presidential Election

With Reset Tech and EU DisinfoLab, examined Meta's advertising and its influence on public opinion during Romania's pivotal 2024 presidential vote.

Operation Overload: a growing disinformation threat targeting the US election

With Reset Tech, confirmed the operation is Russia-based and had shifted focus to the US election, targeting Kamala Harris.

The TikTok effect: how the app shaped political discourse in Finnish European elections

Faktabaari/CheckFirst CrossOver report uncovering worrying trends in TikTok's possible impact on the 2024 European elections in Finland.

Operation Overload: pro-Russian actors flood newsrooms with fake content

Exposed the 'Matryoshka'/Operation Overload campaign flooding 800+ media/fact-checking organisations with content urging them to 'verify' fabricated anti-Ukraine material, diverting fact-checker resources.

Unchecked Political Ads: Pro-Russian Propaganda on Meta Ahead of EU Elections

Between May 1-27 2024, Meta approved at least 275 pro-Russian propaganda ads (lacking required disclaimers) targeting Italy, Germany, France and Poland, reaching over 3 million accounts.

Confusing Google predictions and unbalanced politics on TikTok and Instagram

CrossOver Finland analysis found politically unbalanced content on TikTok and Instagram alongside confusing Google search predictions ahead of the 2024 elections.

Mozilla commissions CheckFirst to conduct a stress test of Ad Repositories

First comprehensive report on DSA-strengthened platform ad libraries, finding the ad transparency tools failing to meet their intended purpose.

CheckFirst & Faktabaari: Finnish far-right videos highly recommended by YouTube

First CrossOver Finland report showing significant over-representation of right-wing/far-right voices in YouTube's recommendations during the 2024 Finnish presidential election.

Facebook Hustles: The Hidden Mechanics of a Scam Machinery

A month-long investigation uncovered a large-scale scam operation recruiting victims via 1,500+ Facebook ads and fake media sites impersonating news outlets/creators.

Why is 'Nazis' regularly trending on Twitter in Belgium?

Analysis showing how Russian official narratives get amplified on Twitter in Belgium whenever 'Nazis' trends, revealing coordinated pushing of pro-Kremlin framing.