The Information LaundromatDiscover content relationships from across the infosphere
The Information Laundromat is a lead generation tool used to determine if and how websites share architecture and content. It provides two core functions: content similarity and domain forensics matching
Investigate Content Laundering
Use the Laundromat to uncover websites republishing content from Russian state media. This function highlights articles that closely resemble the original sources, enabling analysis of content laundering at a large scale. A detailed report of the network involved is available below.
Uncover RT's Mirror Networks
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue has identified domains that are mirror images of RT websites, down to branding and code. Utilize the Laundromat's Metadata Similarity tool to detect common features across these mirrors.
Generate Open Source Intelligence Leads
The Laundromat is also instrumental in producing OSINT leads regarding the construction, sponsorship, and social media linkages of websites, regardless of their content's provenance.
Interpreting the Laundromat Results View All Indicators + Descriptions
Results from the Laundromat are generated by comparing the content and metadata of websites to identify similarities. For detailed help interpreting the results, please see the About page.
Content Similarity - This tool compares headlines, content snippets, or URLs with search engines, databases, and plagiarism checkers to find similar texts. It filters out unrelated content and assigns a match score to gauge similarity. Scores of 50% or more typically mean a closer match, minimizing false positives. Accuracy varies with text length and uniqueness; common phrases like "Donald Trump" yield less precise results.
Metadata Similarity - This function gathers technical information about a given site which indicate what makes it unique, give insight into its architecture/design, or show how it is used/tracked. These indicators are compared with other sites to find similar items. It uses a three-tier system to categorize the indicators based on their strength and reliability. Some indicators can also serve as OSINT leads for further investigation.
For the metadata section, ChatGPT or other LLMs can be used to help interpret the results. We suggest typing this prompt and copying the indicators table below using the 'Copy' button. Prompt: "Assist me in interpreting these results from an OSINT tool that uses domain forensics 'indicators' to identify potential aspects of the site that are unique or could assist in further OSINT investigations. Note good inestigatory leads, social media, useful Ids, and indicators of how the website was made, as well as if an indicator could be misleading. Results:"
