DFRLab and Data Fest Tbilisi, 2020

Challenge-based on the workshop "Introduction to data analysis using open-source command-line tools and python."

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Content

The current version of the data contains:

• ghana_nigeria_takedown_tweets.csv (22.26 MB)
  • Source: Twitter
• ghana_nigeria_takedown_users.csv (16.27 KB)
  • Source: Twitter
• ghana_trending_topics_200401-200519.csv (134.77 KB)
  • Source: Trendinalia
• nigeria_trending_topics_200401-200519.csv (262.5 KB)
  • Source: Trendinalia

The Twitter-related datasets expose an information operation by a small network operating out of Ghana and Nigeria. In a Twitter post, this social platform stated:

In collaboration with law enforcement, industry peers, journalists, and expert researchers, we recently suspended a small network of accounts largely Tweeting in English and that presented themselves as based in the United States.

These 71 removed accounts, operating out of Ghana and Nigeria and which we can reliably associate with Russia, attempted to sow discord by engaging in conversations about social issues, like race and civil rights.

The Trendinalia-related datasets show trending hashtags in Nigeria and Ghana between April 01 to May 19, 2020.

This dataset is part of Twitter's archive of state-backed information operations.

In line with our principles of transparency and to improve public understanding of alleged foreign influence campaigns, Twitter is making publicly available archives of Tweets and media that we believe resulted from potentially state-backed information operations on our service.

The trending topic monitor tool Trendinalia hosts Twitter trending topics globally. This tool allows researchers to explore trending hashtags in different locations.

Inspiration

DFRLab's research on influence and information operations has led to a better understanding of how disinformation spread on social media.
Our inspiration is to create a large community of digital Sherlocks, able to use open-source tools to counter disinformation. This dataset is an example of common data used by DFRLab's researchers.