Russia-linked accounts spread far-right narrative online during Ceuta migration crisis, analysis finds
Summary
Accounts linked to the Russian military spread far-right messages during the Ceuta migration crisis, reaching over 500,000 people in early August. These accounts shared disinformation about migrants crossing into Ceuta, promoting nationalist and conspiracy ideas in several languages. The social media activity influenced public opinion and migrant behavior during the crisis.Key Facts
- Over 49,000 people tried to cross into Ceuta from Morocco on 1 August during a migration crisis.
- Russia-linked social media accounts spread far-right and destabilizing messages about the crisis.
- Far-right narratives framed the migrant arrivals as a coordinated "assault" and included Islamophobic and antisemitic conspiracies.
- The disinformation reached more than 720,000 views within six hours on 1 August.
- Migrants used social media to share information on crossing the border, mainly through small, anonymous accounts.
- The Telegram channel Rybar, linked to Russian intelligence, was a source of propaganda amplified by other accounts connected to Kremlin networks.
- The spread of disinformation in 2023 was faster and more organized than during a similar migrant crossing in 2021.
- Experts suggest the disinformation effort is coordinated and call for investigations into how far-right groups spread these messages.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
