Cyber Activism: The Secret Role of Elves in Countering Hybrid Operations

Russian state-sponsored internet "trolls" increasingly threaten the stability of Western democracies as they perpetuate damaging disinformation online. This technique is part of Russia's broader strategy of hybrid warfare against the West. In an online event on 2 February 2022, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMFUS) will present the first detailed analysis of a specific form of civic activism in the cyberspace, the online volunteer group of the "Elves," their role in countering Russian information warfare, and why and how Western stakeholders should support similar forms of cyber activism.

Event speakers include:

• Adéla Klečková, ReThink.CEE Fellow, GMFUS
• Nad’a Kovalčíková, Senior Resident Analyst, European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)

Moderator:

• Daniel Hegedüs, Visiting Fellow, GMFUS