Dataharvest 2026 - the European Investigative Journalism Conference

Do you know what the telling signs of "non-authentic behaviour" - bots - are on social media platforms? This practical, hands-on presentation is for journalists interested in investigating bots across platforms - from Telegram and YouTube to TikTok. We'll use data research on bot networks and coordinated activity to learn how to identify bots, and discuss practical stories one can develop based on the data found. We will also give practical examples stemming from our research in Ukraine and Moldova, and present some insights into bot campaigns ahead of the June 2026 election in Armenia.

A key part of the session will focus on how things are changing with the rise of generative AI and the early shift toward more agent-like systems: what this means for bots, coordination, and the limits of traditional detection methods. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a clearer sense of how large-scale CIB operations can look in practice, and how to start identifying and documenting them across different platforms. The goal is to leave the session with concrete story ideas, investigative ideas, and practical methodological knowledge.

No programming skills are required to take part in the workshop, but prior experience with collecting and analyzing data from social media platforms will help participants get the most out of the session.