GDPD Weekly | Dec 2, 2024

Asia Pacific

• Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra has launched a “Say No to Fake News” campaign while warning ASEAN members about the growing threats of misinformation and AI in media during the 59th ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information. The initiative has gained support from ASEAN nations and international partners, reflecting regional concerns about information disorder in the digital age. The campaign emphasizes media institutions’ role in maintaining information security and national stability.

“The credibility of media institutions is not only a matter of journalistic ethics but also the foundation of our national security and social stability”

• An AFP investigation has uncovered a coordinated network of Facebook and YouTube channels spreading disinformation about South China Sea confrontations between China and the Philippines, using AI-generated content to generate advertising revenue. The network, managed from various Asian countries including Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, has amassed over 10 million followers across its platforms. Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner has expressed concern about these developments, particularly their potential to undermine public trust. The investigation revealed that network operators can earn between $20-70 per article, with total monthly earnings reaching $1,100. While no direct links to state actors were found, analysts note the content often aligns with Chinese government positions on regional disputes.

“[There is an] alarming surge in disinformation campaigns” designed to erode public trust “in our institutions and the government” - General Romeo Brawner, Philippine military chief

• Bangladesh’s foreign affairs advisor Touhid Hossain has briefed diplomats about what he describes as a “coordinated misinformation campaign” regarding alleged religious persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh following recent political changes. The diplomatic tension escalated after the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, leading to an exchange between Indian and Bangladeshi authorities. Students at Jahangirnagar University staged protests in response to vandalism at Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission in Agartala, India. These developments highlight growing tensions between India and Bangladesh over competing narratives about religious minorities, with both sides accusing each other of spreading misinformation.
• India’s Election Commission (EC) has announced plans for criminal action against those spreading misinformation about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), following viral social media claims about potential hacking. The announcement comes after an India Today investigation exposed a self-proclaimed hacker, Syed Suja, who falsely claimed he could manipulate EVMs using US Department of Defense technology for 53-54 crore rupees. The investigation revealed Suja had previously made similar claims in 2019 during a London press conference.
• The ICRC and Shanghai Media Group hosted a workshop in Shanghai addressing the impact of harmful information on crisis reporting and humanitarian operations, bringing together 60 media professionals to discuss strategies for accurate reporting during humanitarian crises - an initiative that contrasts with China’s extensive state media control and systematic information management practices. The workshop responds to growing concerns about how misleading narratives online can impede aid delivery and increase civilian vulnerabilities in crisis zones.
• Pakistan has proposed amendments to its Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act that would impose prison sentences of up to three years for spreading “fake news” about national institutions, while simultaneously experiencing nationwide internet disruptions and maintaining blocks on platform X since February. A new tribunal headed by a high court judge would determine what constitutes fake news, amid reports of government testing of firewall systems to monitor and block content.

“Those spreading fake news against national institutions or individuals could face up to three years in prison and fines up to 1 million PPR”

• Japan is evaluating new measures to combat disinformation after facing several challenges in 2024, including false disaster information during the Noto earthquake and pre-election misinformation campaigns. While the Japanese government has established analysis units and participated in G7 initiatives on AI-enabled disinformation, it lacks the regulatory frameworks for digital platforms that exist in the EU’s Digital Services Act or were proposed in Australia’s now-abandoned Misinformation Bill.

Europe

• A wave of gender-targeted disinformation campaigns has emerged against Ukrainian female refugees in the EU, particularly in areas with pro-Russian sentiment like Varna, Bulgaria. The campaigns portray Ukrainian women as prostitutes and opportunists, leading to real-world discrimination in healthcare, education, and daily life. These coordinated efforts have directly contributed to violence, as evidenced by an attack on a pregnant Ukrainian street musician in Varna. The campaigns have intensified cyber violence and exploitation risks for Ukrainian refugee women, with disinformation narratives spreading from fringe groups to mainstream platforms and manifesting in physical harassment, healthcare discrimination, and educational bullying.

“Far-right, pro-Russian and misogynist groups also fueled disinformation fire by explaining harmful stereotypes of women manipulating men or harboring secret agendas”

• A Sofia conference on electoral disinformation highlighted the threat of propaganda as a tool for controlling countries without military force. Atlantic Club President Solomon Passy called for NATO-style collective defense against propaganda, citing recent examples from Romania and ongoing challenges faced by Taiwan and Bulgaria. The conference specifically addressed the tactical advantages non-democracies have in deploying disinformation compared to democratic nations’ slower response times.

“Just as there is an Article Five of NATO, which stipulates that an armed attack on one is an armed attack on all, there should be an Article Five on propaganda” - Solomon Passy, Atlantic Club President

• Russian authorities have sentenced former Moscow municipal deputy Alexey Gorinov to an additional three years in prison for “justifying terrorism,” extending his total imprisonment to five years in a maximum-security facility. The new charges stem from alleged comments about the Crimean Bridge bombing made to fellow inmates, though Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov reports that prison administrators planted inmates with hidden microphones to record Gorinov’s political discussions. Gorinov, who was already serving a seven-year sentence for “military disinformation,” denies the charges. The prosecution’s case relied on witnesses who recounted their conversations with Gorinov using identical wording, according to Mediazona, while Gorinov’s health has reportedly deteriorated significantly during his imprisonment.

“[Prison administrators had] planted inmates with hidden microphones in Gorinov’s cell, instructing them to engage him in political discussions and record the conversations” - Dmitry Muratov, Nobel Peace Prize laureate

• According to 404Media, a Russian disinformation operation has targeted the Ukrainian video game Stalker 2, spreading false claims via a fake WIRED-branded video that the game collects player data to help identify potential military recruits. The campaign uses the same methods as “Operation Matryoshka,” previously documented by AFP, which aims to spread anti-NATO and anti-Ukraine narratives through social media and direct outreach to journalists. The targeting of Stalker 2 appears strategic, as the game has become a symbol of Ukrainian resilience during the war, with some developers completing work on it while under Russian bombardment.

“[The goal is to] flood Telegram, social media, and journalists’ inboxes with false stories that usually paint NATO countries and Ukraine in a bad light, waste reporters’ time, and make people distrust news outlets more broadly” - Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab researchers

• A Global Witness investigation has revealed significant failures in TikTok’s ability to detect and remove election disinformation in Ireland, particularly in the Irish language. The platform approved eight out of 14 election disinformation ads in Irish and three out of 14 in English, including false claims about voting requirements and procedures. This investigation follows TikTok’s previous failure to detect any election disinformation during EU parliamentary elections testing in May. The findings come as TikTok reportedly plans to lay off staff responsible for platform safety, including 125 people in the UK, raising concerns about its commitment to election integrity.

“[Platforms should] be able to react rapidly to manipulation of their service aimed at undermining the electoral process and attempts to use disinformation and information manipulation to suppress voters” - EU guidance to platforms

• A NATO-funded experiment by Montenegro’s Damar Institute has revealed complex patterns in how young Montenegrins (ages 19-24) interact with disinformation, particularly from Russian sources. While young people showed relative success in identifying misinformation, their response to “prebunking” strategies proved less effective than anticipated. The research found that susceptibility to Russian disinformation correlates with pro-Russian foreign policy views, though misinformation affects youth across political divides.
• According to a new UNDP study in North Macedonia, 72% of citizens primarily get their news from social media, with disinformation being particularly prevalent during major events like natural disasters and elections. The research finds that gendered disinformation, which exploits existing stereotypes, frequently targets women in politics through sexualized narratives and attempts to undermine their credibility, with 54% of survey respondents reporting frequent exposure to disinformation.

Africa

• A new report reveals how Russia’s African Initiative spreads influence in Burkina Faso through an opaque network of organizations engaged in cultural outreach and information operations, mixing pro-Russian messaging with anti-Western narratives. The group, which Western officials link to the Kremlin, operates through social media campaigns, cultural events, and humanitarian gestures like school supply donations, while its funding sources and leadership structure remain unclear.

“Several people close to African Initiative said that as it gains more credibility and a larger following, its positions could grow more confrontational”

• Egypt’s government and state-controlled media are conducting a coordinated disinformation campaign against refugees, falsely claiming the country hosts 9 million refugees (versus the actual 800,000 registered refugees) and that they burden state services. The campaign includes synchronized messaging across government-aligned TV channels and coordinated social media efforts, with analysis showing orchestrated hashtag campaigns calling for refugee deportation. Pro-government media figures have amplified these narratives without evidence, while simultaneously failing to acknowledge millions in EU support for refugee programs.

“These campaigns are rarely organic. A recent report by the independent fact-checking platform Saheeh Masr revealed that pro-government electronic accounts had launched incitement campaigns targeting refugees fleeing war, promoting extremist nationalist rhetoric”

• At the 2024 International Dialogue on Migration in Geneva, Ethiopian officials discussed how disinformation impacts migration both in origin countries (by overstating opportunities abroad) and destination countries (by stoking xenophobia). Ethiopia emphasized its efforts to combat migration-related disinformation through data-driven policymaking and labor information systems that help migrants choose legal pathways.
• TikTok has announced measures to combat misinformation during Ghana’s December 7 general elections, including launching an in-app Election Centre in partnership with Ghana’s Electoral Commission and DUBAWA, implementing content labels, and establishing a dedicated ‘Mission Control’ team. The platform is partnering with fact-checking organizations and will require labeling of AI-generated content, while also implementing stricter enforcement policies for political accounts that spread misinformation.
• Nigerian celebrities and advocacy organizations launched the #FWDWithFacts campaign, citing statistics showing over 100,000 false claims shared daily during Nigeria’s 2023 elections. The initiative, run by Gatefield and Luminate, pushes for enhanced content moderation from social media platforms and documents how misinformation led to violence, including a 2018 incident where a fabricated photo sparked ethnic conflict resulting in 12 deaths.

“While Europe benefits from strict regulations like the Digital Services Act, Africa is often left vulnerable” - Shirley Ewang, Advocacy lead at Gatefield

• Togo launched RadioCheck, a collaboration between Togocheck and CFImedias, to combat disinformation by training 12 local radio stations across three regions in fact-checking and information verification. The project, backed by Togo’s Ministry of Communication and the French Embassy, aims to create a network of broadcasters equipped to verify information in regions where radio remains a primary news source.

Americas

• Colombian civil society organizations have formed a new alliance to combat online disinformation and hate speech, joining similar coalitions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya, and Indonesia under UNESCO’s “Social Media 4 Peace” project. Over 25 organizations met in Cartagena to establish the network, which will focus on content moderation, platform accountability, algorithmic transparency, and protecting digital spaces for marginalized communities.

“A collaborative initiative of civil society organizations aimed at advocating with social media giants and public institutions in Colombia for a more effective response to the challenges of hate speech, disinformation, and the governance of digital platforms” - Alliance mission statement

• UN officials at COP29 in Baku have identified climate disinformation as a critical threat to climate action, launching a multi-country initiative to combat false narratives ranging from climate denial to greenwashing. Research by watchdog groups shows increased climate denial content on major social platforms, particularly since Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, while advertising-driven algorithms continue to amplify sensationalized climate misinformation.

“We are at the point where the issue of disinformation, the intentional spread of inaccurate information, has been recognized as an urgent threat by the international community at the highest level” - Martina Donlon, UN Department of Global Communications