Institute for Strategic Dialogue
@isdglobal.org
Powering solutions to extremism, hate and authoritarianism since 2006.
764 is a sextortion network which coerces minors into producing Child Sexual Abuse Material and then uses the content to force them into acts of violence, including self-harm. Some cases tragically end in suicide. 🔽
November 6, 2025 at 2:09 PM
764 is a sextortion network which coerces minors into producing Child Sexual Abuse Material and then uses the content to force them into acts of violence, including self-harm. Some cases tragically end in suicide. 🔽
ISD’s latest finds most platforms still fall short on managing online risks from armed conflict.
In one case study, even the most detailed plan after the 7 October attacks lacked transparency on freedom of expression, measurable impact & more.
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In one case study, even the most detailed plan after the 7 October attacks lacked transparency on freedom of expression, measurable impact & more.
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November 5, 2025 at 2:34 PM
ISD’s latest finds most platforms still fall short on managing online risks from armed conflict.
In one case study, even the most detailed plan after the 7 October attacks lacked transparency on freedom of expression, measurable impact & more.
⬇️
In one case study, even the most detailed plan after the 7 October attacks lacked transparency on freedom of expression, measurable impact & more.
⬇️
ISD research featured in WIRED finds ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek & Grok citing Russian state propaganda when asked about the war in Ukraine: “It’s not only an issue of removal, it’s an issue of contextualising further [...] especially if these sources are appearing amongst trusted, verified sources.”
November 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
ISD research featured in WIRED finds ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek & Grok citing Russian state propaganda when asked about the war in Ukraine: “It’s not only an issue of removal, it’s an issue of contextualising further [...] especially if these sources are appearing amongst trusted, verified sources.”
Ahead of Ireland’s presidential elections, ISD & H&CC found 172 false/misleading posts, as well as 43 AI-gen ones including a deepfake claiming Catherine Connolly’s withdrawal & the election’s cancellation. The brief urges tackling both harmful content & the algorithms that amplify it. More below.
Irish presidential election 2025: Renewed attacks on election integrity and repeated platform failures
Analysis identified many false, misleading and delegitimising narratives about both the electoral process and candidates.
www.isdglobal.org
October 31, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Ahead of Ireland’s presidential elections, ISD & H&CC found 172 false/misleading posts, as well as 43 AI-gen ones including a deepfake claiming Catherine Connolly’s withdrawal & the election’s cancellation. The brief urges tackling both harmful content & the algorithms that amplify it. More below.
ISD’s new policy brief looks at the online safety challenges facing regulators as they try to keep up with smaller platforms and emerging technologies.
🔗 https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/addressing-illegal-harms-on-small-and-emerging-platforms-regulatory-challenges-and-gaps
🔗 https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/addressing-illegal-harms-on-small-and-emerging-platforms-regulatory-challenges-and-gaps
Addressing Illegal Harms on Small and Emerging Platforms: Regulatory Challenges and Gaps
ISD’s new policy brief looks at the online safety challenges facing regulators as they try to keep up with smaller but high-risk platforms and emerging technologies.
www.isdglobal.org
October 30, 2025 at 11:36 AM
ISD’s new policy brief looks at the online safety challenges facing regulators as they try to keep up with smaller platforms and emerging technologies.
🔗 https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/addressing-illegal-harms-on-small-and-emerging-platforms-regulatory-challenges-and-gaps
🔗 https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/addressing-illegal-harms-on-small-and-emerging-platforms-regulatory-challenges-and-gaps
ISD joined Canada’s “Megaweek” on “Polarization and Preventing Violent Extremism” with 300+ thought leaders in Toronto. ISD shared insights on domestic extremism challenges, misogyny, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate.
https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-events/isd-plays-key-role-at-public-safety-canadas-megaweek/
https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-events/isd-plays-key-role-at-public-safety-canadas-megaweek/
October 29, 2025 at 7:52 PM
ISD joined Canada’s “Megaweek” on “Polarization and Preventing Violent Extremism” with 300+ thought leaders in Toronto. ISD shared insights on domestic extremism challenges, misogyny, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate.
https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-events/isd-plays-key-role-at-public-safety-canadas-megaweek/
https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-events/isd-plays-key-role-at-public-safety-canadas-megaweek/
ISD research, featured by 404 Media, finds tools for creating non-consensual deepfake images remain easily accessible on search & social media while takedown laws are still being implemented. Read the coverage below. www.isdglobal.org/isd-in-the-n...
Deepfake image creation tools found across search engines and social media
ISD research, highlighted by 404 media, finds deepfake tools for non-consensual images are widely present on search engines and social media, raising safety concerns.
www.isdglobal.org
October 28, 2025 at 2:37 PM
ISD research, featured by 404 Media, finds tools for creating non-consensual deepfake images remain easily accessible on search & social media while takedown laws are still being implemented. Read the coverage below. www.isdglobal.org/isd-in-the-n...
Far-right agitators exploited a local tragedy to incite violence in Citywest, Dublin—and platforms let it spread. A new ISD & Hope and Courage Collective report shows how the unrest was coordinated, not spontaneous, & communities stepped up where platforms failed.
Read it below ⬇️
Read it below ⬇️
The Online Playbook Behind the Violence in Citywest | H&CC
All of us want to believe that our children are safe no matter where they are. It is also true that we want a community where every child is safe and cared for by systems that work, whether they live in care, in the community or are seeking international protection.
hopeandcourage.ie
October 28, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Far-right agitators exploited a local tragedy to incite violence in Citywest, Dublin—and platforms let it spread. A new ISD & Hope and Courage Collective report shows how the unrest was coordinated, not spontaneous, & communities stepped up where platforms failed.
Read it below ⬇️
Read it below ⬇️
Three men who met online were convicted in the UK for preparing acts of terrorism, after stockpiling 200+ weapons and discussing “a mission against migrants.” ISD’s Hannah Rose spoke to The New York Times on the wider extremist trends behind the case. Read it below.
UK neo-Nazi convictions expose pipeline from online hate to real-world violence
The sentencing of three men for preparing acts of terrorism is shedding a spotlight on the threat of far-right violence in Britain.
www.isdglobal.org
October 27, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Three men who met online were convicted in the UK for preparing acts of terrorism, after stockpiling 200+ weapons and discussing “a mission against migrants.” ISD’s Hannah Rose spoke to The New York Times on the wider extremist trends behind the case. Read it below.
Hostile states are actively working to influence chatbots, resulting in the promotion of sanctioned content and false narratives.
Our latest investigation shows how Kremlin narratives—including sanctioned sources—are making their way into mainstream AI responses.
Our latest investigation shows how Kremlin narratives—including sanctioned sources—are making their way into mainstream AI responses.
October 27, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Hostile states are actively working to influence chatbots, resulting in the promotion of sanctioned content and false narratives.
Our latest investigation shows how Kremlin narratives—including sanctioned sources—are making their way into mainstream AI responses.
Our latest investigation shows how Kremlin narratives—including sanctioned sources—are making their way into mainstream AI responses.
Top results on Google, Yahoo and Bing can lead directly to harmful deepfake sites that put women & minors at risk ⬇️
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
October 25, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Top results on Google, Yahoo and Bing can lead directly to harmful deepfake sites that put women & minors at risk ⬇️
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
Reposted by Institute for Strategic Dialogue
For Sasha Havlicek (CEO @isdglobal.org), "Transparency is absolutely in everybody's interest. Whether you think platforms promote left wing or right wing views, it is absolutely in your interest to question whether these platforms are promoting speech, & ensuring transparency."
October 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
For Sasha Havlicek (CEO @isdglobal.org), "Transparency is absolutely in everybody's interest. Whether you think platforms promote left wing or right wing views, it is absolutely in your interest to question whether these platforms are promoting speech, & ensuring transparency."
ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek joined a recent @openmarkets.bsky.social event for a panel on “The Future of Democracy: Speech, Thought, Sovereignty, and Power in the Age of Platforms and AI.” The discussion tackled how platforms and AI are reshaping public debate, democratic resilience, and online harms.
October 24, 2025 at 5:33 PM
ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek joined a recent @openmarkets.bsky.social event for a panel on “The Future of Democracy: Speech, Thought, Sovereignty, and Power in the Age of Platforms and AI.” The discussion tackled how platforms and AI are reshaping public debate, democratic resilience, and online harms.
Top results on Google, Yahoo and Bing can lead directly to harmful deepfake sites that put women & minors at risk ⬇️
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
The ecosystem of nonconsensual intimate deepfake tools online
ISD found 31 active SIIA tools easily accessible online, putting women and minors at risk, and calls for interventions that stop abuse at the point of discovery.
www.isdglobal.org
October 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Top results on Google, Yahoo and Bing can lead directly to harmful deepfake sites that put women & minors at risk ⬇️
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
ISD research shows how easy it is to find & share explicit deepfakes—risking severe emotional, reputational & even fatal consequences.
But what can be done? Read our Dispatch below.
The LGBTQ+ community’s gains in visibility and rights over the last 20 years have come at a cost, with recent surges in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and crime. ISD’s recent Dispatch tracks anti-LGBTQ+ trends, including offline activity and online harms, over the last five years.
October 20, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The LGBTQ+ community’s gains in visibility and rights over the last 20 years have come at a cost, with recent surges in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and crime. ISD’s recent Dispatch tracks anti-LGBTQ+ trends, including offline activity and online harms, over the last five years.
Starting now 📣
CEO Sasha Havlicek joins the high-level State of Europe roundtable. Hosted by @friendsofeurope.bsky.social, this roundtable brings together leaders from 40+ countries to discuss Europe’s competitiveness, security & the urgent transitions shaping its future.
CEO Sasha Havlicek joins the high-level State of Europe roundtable. Hosted by @friendsofeurope.bsky.social, this roundtable brings together leaders from 40+ countries to discuss Europe’s competitiveness, security & the urgent transitions shaping its future.
Livestream & in-person | CEO Sasha Havlicek joins Friends of Europe “State of Europe” high-level roundtable
ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek joins over 200 influential figures at the State of Europe high-level roundtable—“Europe Matters: Now or Never”.
www.isdglobal.org
October 16, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Starting now 📣
CEO Sasha Havlicek joins the high-level State of Europe roundtable. Hosted by @friendsofeurope.bsky.social, this roundtable brings together leaders from 40+ countries to discuss Europe’s competitiveness, security & the urgent transitions shaping its future.
CEO Sasha Havlicek joins the high-level State of Europe roundtable. Hosted by @friendsofeurope.bsky.social, this roundtable brings together leaders from 40+ countries to discuss Europe’s competitiveness, security & the urgent transitions shaping its future.
False flag conspiracy theories predate on the internet by decades, but the speed and scale at which they now spread are unprecedented.
We analyzed this trend in moments of crisis 🔗
https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/the-rise-of-false-flag-conspiracy-theories-in-moments-of-crises/
We analyzed this trend in moments of crisis 🔗
https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/the-rise-of-false-flag-conspiracy-theories-in-moments-of-crises/
The rise of false flag conspiracy theories in moments of crises
False flag conspiracy theories predate the internet by decades, but the speed and volume at which they now spread is unprecedented.
www.isdglobal.org
October 14, 2025 at 9:07 PM
False flag conspiracy theories predate on the internet by decades, but the speed and scale at which they now spread are unprecedented.
We analyzed this trend in moments of crisis 🔗
https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/the-rise-of-false-flag-conspiracy-theories-in-moments-of-crises/
We analyzed this trend in moments of crisis 🔗
https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/the-rise-of-false-flag-conspiracy-theories-in-moments-of-crises/
A week after the antisemitic terrorist attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, reports have confirmed that the attacker pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS). www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jihad Al-Shamie pledged allegiance to 'Islamic State' in 999 call
Police confirm the attacker made the call after he crashed his car into a brick wall.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 8, 2025 at 6:42 PM
A week after the antisemitic terrorist attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, reports have confirmed that the attacker pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS). www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What happens when a fandom obsessed w/ mass killers starts generating its own? Since 2024, the True Crime Community (TCC) has been linked to 16 school shootings/disrupted plots. Attackers seek notoriety, borrowing from past killers w/ a “memetic” twist. ISD analysis & what prevention requires below.
Memetic violence: How the True Crime Community generates its own killers
What happens when a fandom obsessed with high-profile murderers consequently becomes one of the biggest producers of them?
www.isdglobal.org
October 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
What happens when a fandom obsessed w/ mass killers starts generating its own? Since 2024, the True Crime Community (TCC) has been linked to 16 school shootings/disrupted plots. Attackers seek notoriety, borrowing from past killers w/ a “memetic” twist. ISD analysis & what prevention requires below.
Meme culture & gaming communities are central to the shifting extremist landscape, radicalising youth through humor in small chat rooms. The Sydney Morning Herald cites ISD’s findings, showing how “memeified” content can push a small minority from online spaces into real-world violence.
Understanding meme culture’s role in youth extremism amid Charlie Kirk shooting coverage
Small private chat rooms, gaming communities and meme culture are increasingly drawing young people into extremist ideologies.
www.isdglobal.org
September 29, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Meme culture & gaming communities are central to the shifting extremist landscape, radicalising youth through humor in small chat rooms. The Sydney Morning Herald cites ISD’s findings, showing how “memeified” content can push a small minority from online spaces into real-world violence.
Catch up on the key digital policy developments from this summer 📣
Our latest roundup highlights 9 updates you should know, drawn from ISD’s Digital Policy Lab’s Policy Digest.
Read the full issue here. www.isdglobal.org/policy-diges...
Our latest roundup highlights 9 updates you should know, drawn from ISD’s Digital Policy Lab’s Policy Digest.
Read the full issue here. www.isdglobal.org/policy-diges...
September 29, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Catch up on the key digital policy developments from this summer 📣
Our latest roundup highlights 9 updates you should know, drawn from ISD’s Digital Policy Lab’s Policy Digest.
Read the full issue here. www.isdglobal.org/policy-diges...
Our latest roundup highlights 9 updates you should know, drawn from ISD’s Digital Policy Lab’s Policy Digest.
Read the full issue here. www.isdglobal.org/policy-diges...
Between March–May 2025, Canadian extremist accounts posted more than 440K+ times, with activity spiking around elections & US tariffs. In our latest, ISD identified 598 accounts, with ethnonationalist & anti-Muslim content driving the most engagement. More below.
www.isdglobal.org/isd-publicat...
www.isdglobal.org/isd-publicat...
September 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Between March–May 2025, Canadian extremist accounts posted more than 440K+ times, with activity spiking around elections & US tariffs. In our latest, ISD identified 598 accounts, with ethnonationalist & anti-Muslim content driving the most engagement. More below.
www.isdglobal.org/isd-publicat...
www.isdglobal.org/isd-publicat...
11 leading economists on a panel convened by the Forum on Information and Democracy (ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek is a founding member) have released a statement highlighting the economic & democratic importance of public interest media, as the UN General Assembly meets in NY this week. Read it below.
informationdemocracy.org
September 24, 2025 at 12:19 PM
11 leading economists on a panel convened by the Forum on Information and Democracy (ISD CEO Sasha Havlicek is a founding member) have released a statement highlighting the economic & democratic importance of public interest media, as the UN General Assembly meets in NY this week. Read it below.
ISD contributed to the Eradicate Hate Summit in Pittsburgh this week, co-hosting the Gaming & Hate group to tackle misogyny in gaming. Since 2022, ISD has contributed to this summit, created after the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue attack. More below ⬇️ www.isdglobal.org/isd-events/i...
ISD experts join 2025 Eradicate Hate Summit, co-host Gaming and Hate working group
ISD experts returned to the Eradicate Hate Summit this week to co-host a working group on combatting misogyny in gaming.
www.isdglobal.org
September 19, 2025 at 5:57 PM
ISD contributed to the Eradicate Hate Summit in Pittsburgh this week, co-hosting the Gaming & Hate group to tackle misogyny in gaming. Since 2022, ISD has contributed to this summit, created after the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue attack. More below ⬇️ www.isdglobal.org/isd-events/i...
After the 10 Sept. Charlie Kirk shooting, ISD & CIS (Center for Internet Security) analysts found a spike in Russian-linked posts online. ABC News reports these used fake quotes, news and images to stir anger among a wide range of US audiences. Read it below. www.isdglobal.org/isd-in-the-n...
Analysts warn of Russian-linked online content surge following Charlie Kirk shooting
Much of the content identified by ISD and CIS appeared to target audiences using fake news reports, fabricated celebrity quotes and misleading images aimed at stirring political anger.
www.isdglobal.org
September 18, 2025 at 12:32 PM
After the 10 Sept. Charlie Kirk shooting, ISD & CIS (Center for Internet Security) analysts found a spike in Russian-linked posts online. ABC News reports these used fake quotes, news and images to stir anger among a wide range of US audiences. Read it below. www.isdglobal.org/isd-in-the-n...