A program of the Cyber Policy Center, a joint initiative of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Stanford Law School.
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in·ter·net ob·serv·a·to·ry
[ˈin(t)ərˌnet əbˈzərvəˌtôrē] n. a lab housing infrastructure and human expertise for the study of the internet
New Report Provides Inside Look and Lessons from Monitoring COVID-19 Anti-Vaccine Narratives
The Virality Project final report finds recycled anti-vaccine narratives and viral content driven by recurring actors.
Featured News and Publications
Full-Spectrum Pro-Kremlin Online Propaganda about Ukraine
Narratives from overt propaganda, unattributed Telegram channels, and inauthentic social media accounts.
Final Projects from the Stanford Internet Observatory's Online Open Source Investigation Course
Research on inauthentic behavior on TikTok, misinformation on Stanford's campus, Telegram activity in Belarus, health insurance scams that run advertisements on Google, and QAnon content on Tumblr.
Journal of Online Trust and Safety
The Journal of Online Trust and Safety is a no fee, fast peer review, and open access journal. Authors may submit letters of inquiry to assess whether their manuscript is a good fit. The Journal of Online Trust and Safety is now accepting letters of inquiry for its third issue and special issues.
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New Intermediary Rules Jeopardize the Security of Indian Internet Users
Blogs / March 3, 2021
India' information technology ministry recently finalized a set of rules that the government argues will make online service providers more accountable for their users’ bad behavior. Noncompliance may expose a provider to legal liability from which it is otherwise immune.
Election Integrity Partnership Releases Final Report on Mis- and Disinformation in 2020 U.S. Election
News / March 2, 2021
Researchers from Stanford University, the University of Washington, Graphika and Atlantic Council’s DFRLab released their findings in ‘The Long Fuse: Misinformation and the 2020 Election.’
Analysis of February 2021 Twitter Takedowns
Blogs / February 23, 2021
In this post and in the attached reports we investigate a Twitter network attributed to actors in Armenia, Iran, and Russia.
Clubhouse in China: Is the data safe?
Blogs / February 12, 2021
The audio chat app “Clubhouse” went viral among Chinese-speaking audiences. Stanford Internet Observatory examines whether user data was protected, and why that matters.
Clubhouse在中国：他的数据安全吗？
Blogs / February 12, 2021
语音社交App “Clubhouse”，在中文听众中爆红。斯坦福大学网络观测平台（SIO）调查了这个App的数据是否保护它的用户数据，以及用户数据为何需要被保护。
Staying Current
Blogs / February 9, 2021
An Investigation Into a Suspended Facebook Network Supporting the Leader of the Palestinian Democratic Reform Current
E2EE Workshop Series: Call for Papers and Participants
News / February 3, 2021
Balancing Trust and Safety in an Encrypted World: A workshop series from the Stanford Internet Observatory
Parler's First 13 Million Users
Blogs / January 28, 2021
As Parler gained millions of users - and plenty of notoriety - in recent months, understanding the dynamics of the platform has become an increasing priority. A report by the Stanford Internet Observatory analyzes three Parler datasets to understand a platform designed for non-moderation, and to map its domestic and increasingly international growth.
Q&A with Riana Pfefferkorn, Stanford Internet Observatory Research Scholar
News / January 21, 2021
Riana Pfefferkorn joined the Stanford Internet Observatory as a research scholar in December. She comes from Stanford’s Center for Internet and Society, where she was the Associate Director of Surveillance and Cybersecurity.
How to Investigate Wikipedia: Our Process
Blogs / January 14, 2021
Wikipedia celebrates its 20th anniversary this month. This blog post, the second of two, looks at how open source investigators can conduct research on Wikipedia.
Inauthentic Editing: Changing Wikipedia to Win Elections and Influence People
Blogs / January 7, 2021
Wikipedia celebrates its 20th anniversary this month. This is the first of two blog posts exploring the use, misuse, and ultimate resilience of this open, community-edited platform.
Online Consent Moderation
Blogs / December 18, 2020
New Approaches to Preventing Proliferation of Non-Consensual Intimate Images
Stoking Conflict by Keystroke
Blogs / December 15, 2020
New Facebook takedowns expose networks of Russian-linked assets targeting Libya, Sudan, Syria, and the Central African Republic.
Slanted Narratives, Social Media, and Foreign Influence in Libya
Blogs / November 10, 2020
New working paper assesses the role of foreign influence in Libyan social media
The Threat of Foreign Influence Operations
Blogs / October 23, 2020
A new SIO-Lawfare debate series argues the questions: What is the impact of foreign influence operations targeting the United States? Is public conversation commensurate with the threat level?
Analysis of an October 2020 Facebook Takedown Linked to U.S. Political Consultancy Rally Forge
Blogs / October 8, 2020
An astroturfing operation involving fake accounts (some with AI-generated images) that left thousands of comments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Clients included Turning Point Action and Inclusive Conservation Group, a pro-hunting organization.
Analysis of Twitter Takedowns Linked to Cuba, the Internet Research Agency, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand
Blogs / October 8, 2020
In this post and in the attached reports we investigate operations linked to youth organizations with ties to the Cuban government, the Internet Research Agency, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Royal Thai Military.
Analysis of an October 2020 Facebook Takedown Linked to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria
Blogs / October 8, 2020
In this post and in the attached report we investigate an operation that called for the release from prison of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
Fake Profiles, Real Children
Blogs / October 1, 2020
A Look at the Use of Stolen Child Imagery in Social Media Role-Playing Games
Chinese Expat News Site Resists CCP Influence
Blogs / September 24, 2020
A popular source of information among the Chinese diaspora is the website Wenxuecity.com. There have been allegations that the site’s funding is linked to the Chinese government. In this post, we investigate these allegations.
Qui sont les trolls Facebook du président guinéen ? Campagne électorale moderne ou actions inauthentiques concertées, une frontière floue
Blogs / September 21, 2020
Nous avons enquêté sur un large réseau de pages Facebook opérées par le parti du président guinéen Alpha Condé. Les Pages orchestrent des publications qui soutiennent la candidature de Condé à un troisième mandat, et sont gérées sous des noms d'emprunt.
Who Are the President of Guinea's Facebook Trolls? The Blurry Line Between Modern Campaigning and Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior
Blogs / September 21, 2020
We document an extensive network of Facebook Pages operated by Guinean president Alpha Condé’s political party. The Pages coordinated posting to support Condé's bid for a third term, and the accounts that managed the Pages did not use their real names.
A US PR Firm Steps Into Contested Elections
Blogs / September 4, 2020
A U.S.-based strategic communications firm engaged in coordinated inauthentic behavior targeting people in Bolivia and Venezuela.