Disinfo Docket 9 December

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Highlights

1. Did TikTok influence Romania's presidential election? (DW, 7 December)
2. Proposal for Cyber Force study is watered down in final defense bill (The Record, 8 December)
3. ‘Stretched’ MI5 forced to prioritise Russia over terrorists, says chief (Times, 6 December)
4. What next for Syria, Assad and HTS? (Chatham House, 6 December)
5. Determining trustworthiness through provenance and context (Google, 3 December)
6. I’m 14, photographing the violent protests in Georgia. The EU dream is slipping away (Coda Story, 4 December)

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— Full Fact (@FullFact) December 8, 2024

1. Academia & Research

Public trust in science is more important than ever. But what happens when scientists openly share their political opinions on social media?

Our updated paper with @EleAla & Francesco Capozza shows how academics’ political expression affects their credibility. pic.twitter.com/2ipXsLx2XQ

— Prashant Garg (@Prashant_Garg_) December 6, 2024

2. Platforms & Technology

1. What We Saw on Our Platforms During 2024’s Global Elections (Meta, 3 December)
2. North Macedonian political party demands ban on TikTok after at least 17 students injured (Independent, 7 December)
3. Elon Musk’s X gains a new image generator, Aurora (TechCrunch, 7 December)
4. British jobs go as the pandemic party ends for tech giants (Times, 8 December)
5. Facebook UK cut 700 staff and reduced tax bill last year, accounts show (Guardian, 8 December)
6. Bluesky: Misinformation looms over young social media (Le Monde, 8 December)

3. Russia & Ukraine

1. 1,000 and 4,000 days of Russian brainwashing under the guise of education (EUvsDisinfo, 6 December)
2. Neo-Nazi street attacks are making a comeback in Russia. Experts link it to 2000s nostalgia, Internet clout culture, and the war. (Meduza, 6 December)