Alessandro Accorsi
@aleaccorsi.bsky.social
Researcher Technology and Conflict | Previously @crisisgroup.org Stratcom EEAS, Middle Eastern and investigative journalist | @cityjournalism alumni
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
New on #Babel: Jon Alterman speaks with @aleaccorsi.bsky.social about the impact of disinformation and foreign influence operations in the MENA region and emerging trends in the Middle Eastern information space.
Listen to their full conversation here:
Listen to their full conversation here:
Alessandro Accorsi: Disinformation Warfare in the Middle East
Babel: Translating the Middle East · Episode
buff.ly
February 14, 2025 at 2:22 PM
New on #Babel: Jon Alterman speaks with @aleaccorsi.bsky.social about the impact of disinformation and foreign influence operations in the MENA region and emerging trends in the Middle Eastern information space.
Listen to their full conversation here:
Listen to their full conversation here:
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
NEW: Meta has quietly dismantled the system that prevented misinformation from spreading in the United States. Machine-learning classifiers that once identified viral hoaxes and limited their reach have now been switched off, Platformer has learned www.platformer.news/meta-ends-mi...
January 15, 2025 at 12:51 AM
NEW: Meta has quietly dismantled the system that prevented misinformation from spreading in the United States. Machine-learning classifiers that once identified viral hoaxes and limited their reach have now been switched off, Platformer has learned www.platformer.news/meta-ends-mi...
This 👇
Fact-checking organisations will have less influence where it matters most, and less financial security. Their collapse in smaller countries with weak independent media and deep political divides will give further advantage to those weaponizing social media for political violence & conflicts
Fact-checking organisations will have less influence where it matters most, and less financial security. Their collapse in smaller countries with weak independent media and deep political divides will give further advantage to those weaponizing social media for political violence & conflicts
Massive change at Meta, as Zuckerberg announces they’re ditching fact checkers in the US and replacing them with community notes. Meta is probably the single largest funder of fact checking in the world right now. But that appears to be coming to an end. www.facebook.com/share/v/18Rc...?
Redirecting...
www.facebook.com
January 7, 2025 at 1:44 PM
This 👇
Fact-checking organisations will have less influence where it matters most, and less financial security. Their collapse in smaller countries with weak independent media and deep political divides will give further advantage to those weaponizing social media for political violence & conflicts
Fact-checking organisations will have less influence where it matters most, and less financial security. Their collapse in smaller countries with weak independent media and deep political divides will give further advantage to those weaponizing social media for political violence & conflicts
Trump's win gives Zuckerberg an opportunity to sidestep global accountability and cut costs—moves he attempted before META faced backlash with the Gaza war.
Musk has normalized using platforms to wield ideological and political power, something Zuck would have never openly admitted or pursued.
Musk has normalized using platforms to wield ideological and political power, something Zuck would have never openly admitted or pursued.
Zuckerberg, inspired by Musk, abandons fact checking for Community Notes
Zuckerberg, inspired by Musk, abandons fact checking for Community Notes
Moderation will now be crowdsourced to Meta’s users.
buff.ly
January 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Trump's win gives Zuckerberg an opportunity to sidestep global accountability and cut costs—moves he attempted before META faced backlash with the Gaza war.
Musk has normalized using platforms to wield ideological and political power, something Zuck would have never openly admitted or pursued.
Musk has normalized using platforms to wield ideological and political power, something Zuck would have never openly admitted or pursued.
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
In unsettled times, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House looks set to shake things up further. But how does a disrupter deal with an already disrupted world?
Welcome to an unpredictable 2025 in association with @foreignpolicy.com
www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-co...
Welcome to an unpredictable 2025 in association with @foreignpolicy.com
www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-co...
10 Conflicts to Watch in 2025 | Crisis Group
Trump’s return adds unpredictability to an already volatile world. As global tensions rise, change looms, whether through deals or arms.
www.crisisgroup.org
January 1, 2025 at 4:48 PM
In unsettled times, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House looks set to shake things up further. But how does a disrupter deal with an already disrupted world?
Welcome to an unpredictable 2025 in association with @foreignpolicy.com
www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-co...
Welcome to an unpredictable 2025 in association with @foreignpolicy.com
www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-co...
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
i’ve mentioned this before but one of the facebook docs frances haugen leaked was a bunch of engineers debating whether a “meaningful social interaction” (a big metric for shareholders) should actually require two human beings. it was a ridiculous conversation among some truly ridiculous people.
Meta's great new idea, now that Facebook and Instagram are infected with AI slop, is to also let AI-generated characters made by users appear as actual accounts on the platforms. The last stage of "social" media is millions of bots giving each other thumbs-up reacts.
Facebook and Instagram to Unleash AI-Generated 'Users' No One Asked For
Meta says it will integrate AI-generated characters into Facebook and Instagram with their own user accounts.
www.rollingstone.com
December 31, 2024 at 1:07 AM
i’ve mentioned this before but one of the facebook docs frances haugen leaked was a bunch of engineers debating whether a “meaningful social interaction” (a big metric for shareholders) should actually require two human beings. it was a ridiculous conversation among some truly ridiculous people.
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
NEW: How does the scale of harm in Gaza compare to other conflicts?
Our new report presents a unique analysis of where and how thousands of civilians were killed in the first 25 days in Gaza - and how these patterns are unprecedented in modern warfare.
gaza-patterns-harm.airwars.org
Our new report presents a unique analysis of where and how thousands of civilians were killed in the first 25 days in Gaza - and how these patterns are unprecedented in modern warfare.
gaza-patterns-harm.airwars.org
Airwars Gaza Patterns of Harm
Airwars monitors, assesses and preserves civilian casualty claims resulting from explosive weapons use in multiple conflicts.
gaza-patterns-harm.airwars.org
December 12, 2024 at 5:10 PM
NEW: How does the scale of harm in Gaza compare to other conflicts?
Our new report presents a unique analysis of where and how thousands of civilians were killed in the first 25 days in Gaza - and how these patterns are unprecedented in modern warfare.
gaza-patterns-harm.airwars.org
Our new report presents a unique analysis of where and how thousands of civilians were killed in the first 25 days in Gaza - and how these patterns are unprecedented in modern warfare.
gaza-patterns-harm.airwars.org
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
Together with other rebel groups, Hei'at Tahrir al-Sham #HTS has toppled the House of Assad and now holds central power in #Syria. Will notoriously meddling foreign powers give it the space it needs to steer the country toward a better future? @crisisgroup.org
www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-...
www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-...
Priorities after Assad’s Fall | Crisis Group
At last, Syria is free of the despised Assad regime. The long-suffering Syrian people deserve respite and a chance to rebuild the country on their own terms, with help not interference from outside.
www.crisisgroup.org
December 12, 2024 at 1:40 AM
Together with other rebel groups, Hei'at Tahrir al-Sham #HTS has toppled the House of Assad and now holds central power in #Syria. Will notoriously meddling foreign powers give it the space it needs to steer the country toward a better future? @crisisgroup.org
www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-...
www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-...
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
After the fall of a brutal dictatorship, the West needs a plan for sanctions relief. #Syria is one of the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world. Leaving severe #sanctions in place will be like pulling the rug out from under Syria just as it tries to stand. 🧵1/
December 9, 2024 at 1:38 PM
After the fall of a brutal dictatorship, the West needs a plan for sanctions relief. #Syria is one of the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world. Leaving severe #sanctions in place will be like pulling the rug out from under Syria just as it tries to stand. 🧵1/
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
Syria’s al-Watan pro-regime newspaper: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood. We believe and trust that Syria will be for all Syrians …We only carried out the instructions and published the news they sent us. It quickly became clear now that it was false”
December 8, 2024 at 9:11 AM
Syria’s al-Watan pro-regime newspaper: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood. We believe and trust that Syria will be for all Syrians …We only carried out the instructions and published the news they sent us. It quickly became clear now that it was false”
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
My latest 📽️ for @crisisgroup.org. Since the Hamas attack last year, Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the #WestBank has reached record levels. Yet, this phenomenon is not new. Watch to understand the context.
w/ @mairavz.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VnO...
w/ @mairavz.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VnO...
Israeli settler violence in the West Bank
YouTube video by International Crisis Group
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2024 at 9:58 AM
My latest 📽️ for @crisisgroup.org. Since the Hamas attack last year, Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the #WestBank has reached record levels. Yet, this phenomenon is not new. Watch to understand the context.
w/ @mairavz.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VnO...
w/ @mairavz.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VnO...
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
Some self-adverstisement, if you want to know how the Syrian opposition institutionalised its military forces and the role of foreign actors based on interviews with HTS and Ahrar leaders: academic.oup.com/book/57951/c... for the full book: fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/...
Uniting the Armed Opposition
Abstract. Chapter 4 delves into the various efforts to unite and institutionalise the armed opposition (internally as well as externally, with other states
academic.oup.com
November 29, 2024 at 2:12 PM
Some self-adverstisement, if you want to know how the Syrian opposition institutionalised its military forces and the role of foreign actors based on interviews with HTS and Ahrar leaders: academic.oup.com/book/57951/c... for the full book: fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/...
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
If you'd like to follow my @crisisgroup.org colleagues here on BlueSky, here's a lovely starter pack prepared by @paulfranz.bsky.social
International Crisis Group
Join the conversation
go.bsky.app
November 21, 2024 at 11:58 AM
If you'd like to follow my @crisisgroup.org colleagues here on BlueSky, here's a lovely starter pack prepared by @paulfranz.bsky.social
Minutes into the 7 October attacks, and misinformation was already spreading.
Information warfare has shaped the war, with deadly consequences like never before.
LogicallyFacts put together a report, with a few of my comments and analysis here: www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/...
Information warfare has shaped the war, with deadly consequences like never before.
LogicallyFacts put together a report, with a few of my comments and analysis here: www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/...
Gaza, one year on: The misinformation that has shaped a war
Logically Facts investigates the hundreds of misinformation narratives that have surrounded the war.
www.logicallyfacts.com
October 7, 2024 at 12:25 PM
Minutes into the 7 October attacks, and misinformation was already spreading.
Information warfare has shaped the war, with deadly consequences like never before.
LogicallyFacts put together a report, with a few of my comments and analysis here: www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/...
Information warfare has shaped the war, with deadly consequences like never before.
LogicallyFacts put together a report, with a few of my comments and analysis here: www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/...
How can Israel at the same time deflect criticism for the death toll in Gaza, dehumanise Palestinians and justify its actions?
I wrote an analysis of how Israel's information warfare aided the physical destruction of Gaza for @foreignpolicy.com
foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/11/i...
I wrote an analysis of how Israel's information warfare aided the physical destruction of Gaza for @foreignpolicy.com
foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/11/i...
How Israel Mastered Information Warfare in Gaza
Pro-Israel misinformation aimed at dismissing and discrediting Palestinian narratives is the fruit of a decade-long effort.
foreignpolicy.com
March 11, 2024 at 8:56 PM
How can Israel at the same time deflect criticism for the death toll in Gaza, dehumanise Palestinians and justify its actions?
I wrote an analysis of how Israel's information warfare aided the physical destruction of Gaza for @foreignpolicy.com
foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/11/i...
I wrote an analysis of how Israel's information warfare aided the physical destruction of Gaza for @foreignpolicy.com
foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/11/i...
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
@crisisgroup.bsky.social's @aleaccorsi.bsky.social for @foreignpolicy.com on Israeli information warfare in support of the country's military campaign in Gaza: foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/11/i...
How Israel Mastered Information Warfare in Gaza
Pro-Israel misinformation aimed at dismissing and discrediting Palestinian narratives is the fruit of a decade-long effort.
foreignpolicy.com
March 11, 2024 at 5:49 PM
@crisisgroup.bsky.social's @aleaccorsi.bsky.social for @foreignpolicy.com on Israeli information warfare in support of the country's military campaign in Gaza: foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/11/i...
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
Let’s get clear on what Twitter’s rebranding to X really is: a political project from a right-wing reactionary. https://www.platformer.news/p/twitter-becomes-x
July 25, 2023 at 12:05 AM
Let’s get clear on what Twitter’s rebranding to X really is: a political project from a right-wing reactionary. https://www.platformer.news/p/twitter-becomes-x
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
U.S. military intervention in Mexico would be a mistake on several levels, damaging both U.S. and regional interests and impeding the two governments’ ability to work together.
https://www.crisisgroup.org/united-states/dangerous-words-risky-rhetoric-us-war-mexican-cartels
https://www.crisisgroup.org/united-states/dangerous-words-risky-rhetoric-us-war-mexican-cartels
Dangerous Words: The Risky Rhetoric of U.S. War on Mexican Cartels
As opioid overdose deaths rise in the U.S., members of Congress have broached the idea of using U.S. military force against the Mexican criminal networks that traffic in narcotics. Such notions are ir...
www.crisisgroup.org
July 24, 2023 at 11:29 AM
U.S. military intervention in Mexico would be a mistake on several levels, damaging both U.S. and regional interests and impeding the two governments’ ability to work together.
https://www.crisisgroup.org/united-states/dangerous-words-risky-rhetoric-us-war-mexican-cartels
https://www.crisisgroup.org/united-states/dangerous-words-risky-rhetoric-us-war-mexican-cartels
And you want to tell me that they are business savvy people...
The Twitter account just officially rebranded to X but they can’t figure out how to change the handle
July 24, 2023 at 10:16 AM
And you want to tell me that they are business savvy people...
Reposted by Alessandro Accorsi
What makes a social media site vibrant? It's not about the technology. It's about how the networks are nurtured into being. Here's some lessons from 20 years ago that Alt-Twitter designers need to consider: https://zephoria.medium.com/dear-alt-twitter-designers-its-about-the-network-3d6f7e8714dd
July 19, 2023 at 4:08 PM
What makes a social media site vibrant? It's not about the technology. It's about how the networks are nurtured into being. Here's some lessons from 20 years ago that Alt-Twitter designers need to consider: https://zephoria.medium.com/dear-alt-twitter-designers-its-about-the-network-3d6f7e8714dd