Resources

Unveiling GRU’s Information Operations Troops with OSINT and Medals

We tracked the infrastructure of one of the most secretive units of Russian intelligence by using phaleristics (i.e. the academic study of medals and military decorations) and traditional OSINT techniques.

Check First and Samsa immerse French journalists in a virtual foreign interference campaign

We constructed a one-day training with the French training organisation Samsa to help French journalists to learn how to identify and analyze information manipulation, disinformation campaigns, and coordinated inauthentic behavior in electoral context.

Unchecked Political Ads: A Surge of Pro-Russian Propaganda on Meta’s Platforms Ahead of EU Elections

Between May 1 and May 27, 2024, Meta approved at least 275 pro-Russian propaganda ads targeting Italy, Germany, France, and Poland. These ads, lacking the required political disclaimers, reached over three million accounts across these nations.

New report: Confusing Google search predictions and Google News sources, and unbalanced politics on TikTok and Instagram

Last March, Faktabaari & CheckFirst showed the significant over-representation of right-wing voices in YouTube’s video recommendations during the Finnish presidential election.

Facebook Hustles (continued): European Commission cracks down on Meta for letting fraudulent ads through

We welcome the action from the European Commission to open formal proceedings into Meta’s Facebook and Instagram over suspected breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Last June, we revealed how nefarious ads leading users into a massive scam operation could be found on the platforms, despite being against their terms of service. Almost one year later, similar ads can still easily be found on Meta’s services.

Mozilla commissions CheckFirst to conduct a stress test of Ad Repositories

We’re proud to publish today together with the Mozilla Foundation the first comprehensive report on the state of ad libraries which have emerged or been strengthened by requirements under the European Digital Services Act.

CheckFirst and Faktabaari present a new study showing Finnish far-right videos highly recommended by YouTube during the presidential race

CheckFirst and Faktabaari present their first report on the CrossOver Finland project—a significant milestone.

Reflecting on a remarkable year: our 2023 journey

As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s time for us to take a moment and reflect on the incredible journey CheckFirst has experienced over the past year. From groundbreaking conferences to the launch of exciting projects, 2023 has been — thanks to you all — a year of growth, collaboration and achievement. Let’s take a look back.

Amazon’s Risky Recommendations

In a landmark research collaboration, CheckFirst and AI Forensics publish a comprehensive study examining the intricate facets of Amazon’s recommendation algorithm, unveiling concerning content amplification and user entrapment in dubious narratives.

10 key takeaways from EU DisinfoLab’s 2023 conference

Last week, for the third year in a row, we had the pleasure to attend the EU Disinfolab’s 2023 conference. Leaving Brussels for the beautiful city of Krakow in Poland, the event remained a must to anyone looking to stay ahead of the game in the fight against disinformation.

CheckFirst expands CrossOver Project in Finland ahead of 2024 Presidential and EU Elections

A new Milestone reached thanks to EMIFund!

Check First produces a variety of content, from articles to webinars and training. Below is a repository of our public resources, created during the execution of our various projects.