Information Tracer is initially a research tool built by Zhouhan during his PhD. Zhouhan wanted to collect cross-platform social media data about COVID-19 fake news URLs, but could not find a suitable tool. Then he started to build the system from scratch. Read our founder's story.
Coordinated influence campaigns can spread fake narratives. We have develop an emsemble of technical signals to identify inauthentic behaviors. We work with research institutions and humanitarian agencies to monitor misinformation narratives across the globe, including Mexico, Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. By combining of our technical expertise with people who understand local politics and languages, we can effectively identify emerging misinformation narratives.
We collaborated with Worldie, a Social Media for Good organization, to investigate cyberbullying operations targeting Amber Heard, actress and human rights activist. Using data collected by Information Tracer, we gathered evidence of hate speech campaigns targeting prominent women figures including Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
To discover scam on social media, we search for posts containing suspicious keywords (like 'download crypto', 'forextrader', 'free coupon'), and detect suspicious accounts or risky URLs based on information sharing patterns. For more detail please check out our presentation at Anti Scam Research Group Meeting.
"Amazing cross-platform tool by @chenzhouhan"
Fabio Giglietto, Associate Professor of Internet Studies
"Thank you Zhouhan for doing a demo of the tool you created to trace suspicious sources of information. The talk was not only related to our work but also the way you visualize data inspired me a lot."
Masaru Sato, Sr Analyst - Cybersecurity & Anti-Abuse Research at Google
"The project exemplifies how technologists can play a crucial role in sustaining local news and meeting the information needs of communities across the country."
From Announcing funding for three AI & Local News teams | NYC Media Lab
What use case do you have in mind? Have a question? Please contact us at zhouhan@safelink.network