Democratic Resilience

Democratic institutions are under sustained pressure from influence operations, foreign interference, and the deliberate exploitation of political polarization. These are not new phenomena, but the tools available to bad actors have changed significantly: synthetic media, algorithmic amplification, and cross-platform coordination have lowered the cost of running effective disinformation campaigns while raising the cost of countering them.

ISRS approaches democratic resilience as a strategic problem, not a communications one. The question is not simply how to correct false narratives but how influence operations are designed, resourced, and targeted — and what structural responses are available to governments, institutions, and civil society.

What we work on:

Influence operation analysis — mapping the architecture of disinformation campaigns, including origin, amplification mechanisms, and intended effects on specific audiences or political processes.

Electoral integrity — assessing vulnerabilities in electoral systems to foreign interference, domestic manipulation, and information environment degradation.

Counter-disinformation frameworks — developing policy and institutional responses that are proportionate, rights-respecting, and actually effective.

Civil liberties and technology — examining where state responses to disinformation risk creating new harms, particularly around surveillance, platform regulation, and speech.

Public education — the Disinformation Defense Series translates this analytical work into accessible formats for general audiences.