GDPD Weekly | Oct 25, 2024

From Moldova to Malaysia, October has brought fresh tests for governments grappling with information manipulation. Elections are proving particularly salient: Russian operatives are targeting Moldova’s president ahead of an EU referendum, Bangladesh faces a network of fictitious experts flooding media with pro-government content, and Arizona radio stations are racing to counter Spanish-language electoral misinformation. Natural disasters and public health crises have also emerged as vectors, with Russian networks exploiting hurricane coverage in America and vaccine misinformation threatening polio eradication in South Asia. Our regional roundup examines these developments and the varied institutional responses they have prompted.

Africa

Egyptian authorities have arrested prominent economist Abdel Khaleq Farouk, highlighting the ongoing use of “false news” laws to suppress economic criticism and dissent. Egypt’s law targeting users with over 5,000 social media followers has led to the blocking of over 500 websites, contributing to the country’s ranking of 170th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index.
In Mozambique, false social media claims about public ruby extraction at Montepuez Ruby Mining led to gatherings and confrontations, resulting in two injuries during police response.
Uganda Communications Commission announces strengthened collaboration with law enforcement to combat misinformation through the #Dismis initiative, supported by Next Media and the Ministry of ICT.
Uganda Radio Network conducted a two-day training event in Kampala, supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives and @CanHCKenya, focusing on helping staff navigate information disorder.
Zimbabwe’s Public Service Commission issued an alert to counter fraudulent part-time job vacancy advertisements falsely claiming to be from the PSC and Standard Chartered Bank circulating on social media.
The Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana, collaborating with the National Cybersecurity Authority, hosted a webinar on “Fighting Misinformation and Disinformation: The Role of Netizens” as part of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Celebration.
Ghana’s National Commission on Civic Education addressed students at Nalerigu Nursing and Midwifery Training College, warning against creating and spreading false information ahead of December elections, as part of an EU-sponsored project on preventing violent extremism.
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission hosted a forum for media professionals in Akure, where Information and Voter Education Committee Chairman Sam Olumekun emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to combat electoral misinformation ahead of Ondo State elections.
Nine people appeared in Rwanda’s Kigali High Court facing charges of spreading false information and propaganda, stemming from their 2021 detention for sharing a book about peaceful resistance. Prosecutors are seeking up to 15 years imprisonment in a case that has drawn criticism from the UN Human Rights Council.

Americas

An actor reports his AI avatar is being used without consent in Venezuelan propaganda, highlighting growing concerns about the misuse of AI-generated content in disinformation campaigns.
An AFP investigation revealed a coordinated disinformation campaign in Bangladesh where a network of fictitious experts, using stolen photos and false academic credentials, have published hundreds of pro-government articles across international media outlets ahead of the January 2025 elections, with some articles appearing on government websites and following narratives promoted by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry. Source
A Spanish-language radio station in Phoenix founded by César Chávez, Radio Campesina, is working to combat election misinformation among Latino voters in Arizona, particularly in Maricopa County where Latinos make up 30% of potential voters, while a new conservative nonprofit has also launched efforts to counter election denialism and rebuild trust in the voting process ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
New research from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue reveals Russian disinformation networks have exploited recent U.S. hurricanes to sow domestic discord, using AI-generated images and weakened platform moderation policies to undermine trust in federal disaster response, with X seeing increased foreign propaganda after rolling back state media labeling requirements.
U.S. intelligence officials have formally confirmed Russian disinformation operations created viral content targeting Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, including manipulated videos containing false accusations about his past as a teacher, following earlier Microsoft revelations about similar campaigns targeting VP Harris.

Asia-Pacific

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission identified individuals responsible for spreading false claims about Chinese flag-waving at a private school, amid discussions about Chinese naval vessels visiting Penang.
In Pakistan, conflicting narratives about an alleged campus rape sparked widespread student protests, with authorities dismissing social media posts as “fake news” while students used the moment to address broader concerns about sexual harassment, resulting in school closures and hundreds of arrests.
Singapore authorities blocked ten websites identified as inauthentic platforms set up by foreign actors, citing evidence of AI-generated content and local imagery being used for potential hostile information campaigns.
Polio cases emerge in Pakistan and Afghanistan as vaccine refusal increases, driven by widespread misinformation campaigns about vaccine safety and efficacy.
An AFP investigation revealed a coordinated disinformation campaign in Bangladesh where a network of fictitious experts, using stolen photos and false academic credentials, have published hundreds of pro-government articles across international media outlets ahead of the January 2025 elections, with some articles appearing on government websites and following narratives promoted by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry.
Polio cases emerge in Pakistan and Afghanistan as vaccine refusal increases, driven by widespread misinformation campaigns about vaccine safety and efficacy. Source
An AFP investigation revealed a coordinated disinformation campaign in Bangladesh where a network of fictitious experts, using stolen photos and false academic credentials, have published hundreds of pro-government articles across international media outlets ahead of the January 2025 elections, with some articles appearing on government websites and following narratives promoted by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry. Source
Palau’s House of Delegates has advanced a bill aimed at regulating social media disinformation, though critics argue the legislation lacks clear enforcement mechanisms and independent oversight provisions, highlighting the challenges small Pacific nations face in balancing public welfare with free speech protections.

Europe

Cyprus’s Fact-Check Cyprus researchers participated in a Mediterranean Digital Media Observatory conference on disinformation in Greece, part of an EU-funded initiative launched in December 2022 that connects Cyprus, Greece, and Malta in coordinated efforts to combat disinformation.
EU foreign policy spokesperson Peter Stano announced the suspension of EU’s anti-disinformation assistance to Georgia, citing Georgian authorities’ spread of disinformation about the EU, while contrasting this with ongoing support to Moldova and noting that cooperation could resume if Georgia’s upcoming elections meet international standards.
Russian-backed actors are deploying sophisticated gendered disinformation campaigns targeting Moldova’s President Maia Sandu ahead of Sunday’s election and EU referendum, using tactics ranging from deepfakes to paid celebrity videos and coordinated social media attacks. A WIRED investigation reveals how the country has become a testing ground for sophisticated Russian influence operations, with platforms like Meta failing to adequately address the attacks despite clear evidence of manipulation, highlighting broader implications for democratic processes.
Speaking of Moldova, misleading reports about potential EU migrant processing centers emerged as as a featured theme in Russian-backed disinformation targeting Moldova’s EU referendum. The claims, which originated from a speculative article in The Times, were amplified by Russian state media to stoke anti-EU sentiment, prompting denials from both Moldovan and EU officials.
A Moscow court has sentenced Ukrainian film producer Oleksandr Rodnianskyi in absentia to eight and a half years and a four-year internet posting ban for social media posts criticizing Russian military actions in Ukraine, demonstrating Russia’s expanding use of “fake news” laws to target high-profile cultural figures beyond its borders.
Ukraine and France have announced strengthened cooperation in strategic communications, with Minister Mykola Tochytskyi emphasizing a shift toward proactively shaping strategic narratives against Russian propaganda as part of Ukraine’s Victory Plan.
The Western Balkans Countering Disinformation Wargame in Vienna brought together national teams to simulate responses to humanitarian emergencies and disinformation threats, marking Albania’s accession as the final EU and NATO member to join the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.

Middle East

Azerbaijan’s state media regulator claims to have observed an increase in “fake news” targeting President Aliyev in 2024, with officials defending state-controlled media as the only reliable source while criticizing Western coverage during discussions about potential threats to Azerbaijan’s upcoming COP29 climate conference hosting.
Members of Turkey’s ruling AKP party are using social media networks and affiliated influencers to spread messaging that minimizes the severity of femicide statistics and challenges women’s rights organizations’ data, while President Erdogan claims without evidence that withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention hasn’t impacted women’s rights, contradicting documented increases in gender-based violence.

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