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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · 3d

🔍 DE-CON Glossary #10: Botnets

Botnets shape narratives by amplifying divisive content, distorting debate, and faking consensus. In the information space, reach equals power. Combating them is vital to defending against FIMI.

📌 Definition from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · 9d

How can the EU maximize cooperation with Taiwan?

A recent EU study, co-authored by our partner Aurelio Insisa (IAI), explores lessons from the US, a twin-track of diplomacy & deterrence, and ways to counter FIMI via strategic comms & EEAS expertise.

🔗 Read more: lnkd.in/de3JmGkZ

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · 17d

🔍 DE-CON Glossary #9: Information Warfare

Information warfare blends influence ops, disinformation & tech disruption. Russia & China frame it in distinct ways, but both show how it fuels FIMI by shaping perceptions, narratives & data.

📌 Full definition from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · 24d

With our third edition coming soon, subscribe to the DE-CONSPIRATOR Newsletter! Be the first to receive:

✅ Project updates.
✅ A sneak peek into our cutting-edge research.
✅ News on events and FIMI-related resources.

Join us and get inspired to de-conspire!

👉 Subscribe here: lnkd.in/dZwTWwZx

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Sep 18

DE-CON Glossary #8: Cyber Attacks

From Ukraine’s 2015 grid hack to the Viasat breach & DDoS hits on EU elections, cyber attacks keep testing democratic resilience. The EU fights back with sanctions, NIS2 & the Cyber Solidarity Act.

📌 Full definition from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Sep 5

🔍 DE-CON Glossary #7: Interference

Interference seeks to disrupt & destabilize. Often tied to elections, it uses disinfo, cyber-attacks & covert ops - such as the Russian-attributed Doppelgänger campaign & GPS jamming in the Baltics.

📌 Definition from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Sep 1

📢 New #Deliverable publicly available! D8.2 – Dissemination & Communication Plan v2.0, led by White Research.

It reviews year-one dissemination & engagement activities, showing strong impact from social media, events & collaborations. Full deliverable available here: bit.ly/45ZAGB4

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Aug 22

🔍 DE-CON Glossary #6: Censorship

From selective controls in authoritarian regimes to digital takedowns & limits on sharing info, censorship raises key questions for democracy.

EU guidelines on freedom of expression: bit.ly/4mNz6ck

📌 Full definition from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Aug 14

📢 D3.1 - Methodology Working Paper: presenting a framework to identify & analyse domestic actors that support or amplify FIMI campaigns in Europe. The methodology includes typology, data collection, & network analysis.

Full deliverable available here: deconspirator.eu/deliverables/

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Aug 6

DE-CON Glossary #4: Conspiracy Theories

Beliefs that multiple actors secretly control events. They thrive in uncertain times & offering false clarity. EC guides show why they spread & how to counter them: bit.ly/3J2SV12

📌 Flashcard definition comes from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jul 31

📢 D7.3: "FIMI Policy Brief v1.0: Diverging Policy Approaches to FIMI by Russia and China - a tour d'horizon" by EDAM.

Russia & China use digital disinfo & FIMI to challenge democracies. The EU, US & NATO can respond with media literacy, cooperation & AI tools.

Full deliverable at the link below.

Deliverables - DE-CONSPIRATOR

deconspirator.eu

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jul 16

DE-CON Glossary #4: Fake News

Fake news isn’t new: false stories have long fueled fear, division & violence. 83% of Europeans see it as a threat to democracy. History shows why trust in reliable information is vital.

📌 Our flashcard definition comes from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jul 11

Natalia Antelava’s article, “How the West lost the war it thought it had won,” reveals how Russia’s mix of military force and info campaigns exploited Western complacency, reshaping global power. Coordinated action to defend democracy is crucial.

Read more at the link below.

How the West lost the war it thought it had won - Coda Story

On the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has reason to celebrate. He has scripted a new ending to the Cold War by exploiting the gap between Western democratic ideals a...

www.codastory.com

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jul 9

Russia and China use AI, deepfakes, and state media to erode trust and exploit divides. Their efforts increasingly converge, amplifying anti-Western narratives.

Read the full report at the link below.

Sino-Russian Convergence in Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference: A Global Threat to the US and Its Allies

Russian and Chinese foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) operations impact democratic processes and national security.

cepa.org

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jul 7

Artificial intelligence and its hyper-accelerated development pose technological, economic, social, and geopolitical challenges. Journal of International Affairs No. 138 from our partners CIDOB sheds light on the challenges for a democratic #AI.

Full report (available in Spanish) at the link below.

www.cidob.org

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jul 3

DE-CON Glossary #3: Misinformation

Misinformation is false information shared by people who believe it’s true, without the intention to deceive. Nonetheless, misinformation can harm democracies and polarise debates.

📌 Our flashcard definition comes from the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jul 1

ETNC’s 2025 report is out: "Quest for Strategic Autonomy? Europe Grapples with the US–China Rivalry."

With a chapter by our Network of Interest member Plamen Tonchev, it explores how EU countries navigate ties with the US & China in a shifting global landscape.

Full report at the link below.

media.realinstitutoelcano.org

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jun 26

Valuable insights from our synergy project ATHENA!

Demetris Paschalides (University of Cyprus) reveals structured tactics and techniques behind disinformation operations, based on 32 real-world FIMI case studies from the ATHENA project.

Full post at the link below 👇

Mapping the methods of influence: insights from ATHENA’s 32 FIMI case studies - Project Athena

Author: Demetris Paschalides, University of Cyprus In today’s contested information environment, foreign influence operations have become increasingly systematic, strategic and scalable. Disinformatio...

project-athena.eu

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jun 19

Week 2 of the DE-CON Glossary Series focuses on disinformation - strategically constructed false or misleading content aimed at manipulating public opinion.

The definition in our flashcard is based on the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jun 13

Russia’s distortion of history, downplaying atrocities while glorifying Soviet military actions, exemplifies information manipulation used to justify war in Ukraine. Recognizing this is key to defending truth and democracy.

Full article at the link below.

No Prague Spring and no Gulag: Putin’s Russia rewrites history to justify its wars

The textbooks written by the head of the Russian delegation that negotiated with Ukraine in Istanbul last week extol the conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries while minimizing the millions of victi...

english.elpais.com

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jun 10

Una Aleksandra Bērziņa‐Čerenkova (RSU, partner in DE-CONSPIRATOR) examines how China uses “inevitability” as a strategic tool in its political messaging, notably in Taiwan. Language is curated to project strength while staying non-committal, keeping all options open.

Full article at the link below:

“INEVITABILITY”: Capturing Strategic Ambiguity in Xi Jinping's China

This article approaches the discourse of inevitability used by Xi Jinping and his foreign policy communicators from the perspective of strategic ambiguity signaling. Drawing on the post-realist rheto...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Jun 4

Kicking off the DE-CON Glossary Series with Propaganda, a key tool in FIMI. From China's state-run system to Russia’s adaptive media ops, propaganda is embedded in FIMI tactics and shapes narratives globally.

📌 The definition in our flashcard is based on the DE-CONSPIRATOR FIMI Glossary (D2.2).

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · May 23

On May 28 at 14:30 CET, Kamila Koronska, Research Officer at UvA and member of the DE-CONSPIRATOR #Network #of #Interest, joins EU DisinfoLab for a webinar on how coordinated messaging on X and Facebook helped fuel the 2024 UK riots.

Register and learn more at the link below.

UK Riots: How Coordinated Messaging Mobilised Rioters — Lessons in Detecting Inauthentic Behaviour

What happens when online disinformation, hate speech, and political rage spill into the streets? Kamila Koronska from the University of Amsterdam explores how coordinated messaging on X and Facebook h...

www.disinfo.eu

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · May 16

Delighted to share our Project Coordinator Akin Unver’s seminars at Sabancı and Özyeğin University!

The talks presented DE-CONSPIRATOR, exploring the socio-computational tools behind the project, FIMI strategy, why states persist in using it, and how Europe can respond with data-driven deterrence.

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DE-CONSPIRATOR @deconspirator.bsky.social · Mar 26

Read it here: deconspirator.eu/wp-content/u...

deconspirator.eu

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