Disinfo Docket 12 August

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Highlights

1. Iran is accelerating cyber activity that appears meant to influence the US election, Microsoft says (AP, 10 August)
2. We received internal Trump documents from ‘Robert.’ Then the campaign confirmed it was hacked. The campaign suggested Iran was to blame. POLITICO has not independently verified the identity of the hacker or their motivation. (Politico, 10 August)
   1. Trump campaign says it is victim of foreign hack after leak of Vance report. Microsoft discovered evidence that Iranian hackers compromised the email account of a former Trump campaign adviser, a person familiar with the matter says. (Washington Post, 10 August)
3. SXSW Panel Picker: The Investment Opportunity in Trust and Safety (SXSW)

1. Platforms & Technology

1. End of the Google era (Axios, 10 August)
2. Where Facebook's AI Slop Comes From (404, 6 August)
3. Trump wanted TikTok banned. Now it’s a key piece of his online campaign. (Washington Post, 9 August)

X (Twitter)

1. Elon Musk's X lets users sort replies to find more relevant comments (Mashable, 9 August)
2. Fake X content warnings on Ukraine war, earthquakes used as clickbait (Bleeping Computer, 11 August)
3. Elon Musk’s X accused of bias after pro-Harris accounts labeled as ‘spam’ (Washington Post, 7 August)

2. Russia & Ukraine

1. YouTube slows down in Russia Amid News of Ukrainian Offensive (Coda Story, 8 August)

3. Asia & Australasia

1. Attacks, misinformation frighten Bangladeshi Hindus (SCMP, 11 August)
2. In Manila, how China set up an influence, espionage network (Rappler, 10 August)