Investigations into the prevalence and impact of digital espionage operations against civil society groups. For our research on Digital Transnational Repression, visit this page to explore our reports, media mentions, and resources.
We investigate a coordinated network of inauthentic X accounts that is spreading AI-generated content to induce revolt in Iran. The network has been active since 2023, but increased activity during the Iran-Israel conflict in June 2025.
The following is the Hebrew translation of the key findings from the Citizen Lab report titled We Think You Want a Revolution: PRISONBREAK – An AI-enabled Influence Operation Aimed at Overthrowing the Iranian Regime ממצאי הדו״ח רשת מתואמת של יותר מ 50 פרופילי משתמשים בדויים ב X מבצעים באמצעות בינה מלאכותית קמפיין השפעה. הקמפיין שמשתמש… Read more »
The following is the Persian translation of the key findings from the Citizen Lab report titled We Think You Want a Revolution: PRISONBREAK – An AI-enabled Influence Operation Aimed at Overthrowing the Iranian Regime یافتههای کلیدی شبکهای هماهنگ متشکل از بیش از ۵۰ پروفایل غیرواقعی در ایکس (X)، که ما از آن به عنوان «پریزِنبریک»… Read more »
Studies of Internet filtering, network interference, and other technologies and practices that impact freedom of expression online.
In this paper, the Citizen Lab’s Mohamed Ahmed and Jeffrey Knockel examine Chinese censorship bias in LLMs with a censorship detector they designed as part of the research. They warn that when LLMs are trained on state-censored texts, their output is more likely to align with the state. An Analysis of Chinese Censorship Bias in… Read more »
In this paper co-authored by the Citizen Lab’s Jeffrey Knockel, researchers investigate the secret relationships between VPN operators and the vulnerabilities these VPNs share. The authors warn that the obfuscation of these relationships prohibits consumers from making informed decisions about their digital security and misleads them about the security properties of the VPNs. Hidden Links:… Read more »
Irene Poetranto examines Indonesia’s use of domain name system (DNS) redirection as a method of internet censorship in a new essay published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In Techno-Legal Internet Controls in Indonesia and Their Impact on Free Expression Poetranto explains how DNS redirection, a new type of DNS tampering, was introduced in… Read more »
Examinations of transparency and accountability mechanisms relevant to the relationship between corporations and state agencies regarding personal data and other surveillance activities.
AI is becoming a buzzword among Canadian policymakers, but should there be more focus on regulation than innovation? In a new article, Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert speaks with the Financial Post about the risks of AI. Generative AI is transformational technology, but lack of oversight poses ethical risks. “It’s astonishing how the industry is able… Read more »
Canada’s Bill C-8 (formerly Bill C-26) is proposed cybersecurity legislation that would introduce broad information collection and sharing powers, including the warrantless collection of information from telecommunication providers, and could also undermine encryption and communications security. In a brief submitted by the Citizen Lab to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU)… Read more »
In a submission to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, Citizen Lab researchers warn of the dangerous rhetoric of “birth registration and certification as a prerequisite for other rights” and the risks digital ID infrastructure could pose to human rights.
Research into privacy, security, and information controls of popular applications.
Researchers take a look at the analytics and first-party tracking ecosystem of WeChat Mini Programs.
New paper co-authored by researchers at the Citizen Lab and Princeton University explores the network security of Android apps.
Our network security analysis of the popular social media app, RedNote, revealed a number of issues with both the Android and iOS versions of the app.
Outputs related to the global community of practice that The Citizen Lab helps to cultivate through our Cyber Stewards Network, various fellowships, and events.
Findings from this study underscore that online and offline threats should not be viewed as separate phenomena, but rather as overlapping and mutually reinforcing.
Cyber Steward Network partner Asociación por los Derechos Civiles (ADC) will lead a public hearing at the 167 extraordinary period of session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Taking place on February 28 at 11:30 am EST, the hearing is titled “Digital Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Freedom of Expression in America”. The topics to be addressed in… Read more »
Cyber Stewards Network organization Sula Batsu Cooperativa has been honoured with a 2017 EQUALS in Tech Award. Presented at the Internet Governance Forum at the United Nations in December, Kemly Camacho– Sula Batsu Coordinator– accepted the award on behalf of the group. They were recognized in the Leadership category for their work to create women-led… Read more »
While The Citizen Lab is primarily focused on high-level academic research, we also produce accessible tools and educational resources to help everyone better navigate their online lives. Below are some of the latest projects that are aimed at making everyone safer online.
