Russian Disinformation Campaigns Eluded Meta's Efforts To Block Them (nytimes.com) 33
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: A Russian organization linked to the Kremlin's covert influence campaigns posted more than 8,000 political advertisements on Facebook despite European and American restrictions barring companies from doing business with the organization, according to three organizations that track disinformation online. The Russian group, the Social Design Agency, evaded lax enforcement by Facebook to place an estimated $338,000 worth of ads aimed at European users over a period of 15 months that ended in October, even though the platform itself highlighted the threat, the three organizations said in a report released on Friday.
The Social Design Agency has faced punitive sanctions in the European Union since 2023 and in the United States since April for spreading propaganda and disinformation to unsuspecting users on social media. The ad campaigns on Facebook raise "critical questions about the platform's compliance" with American and European laws, the report said. [...] The Social Design Agency is a public relations company in Moscow that, according to American and European officials, operates a sophisticated influence operation known as Doppelganger. Since 2022, Doppelganger has created cartoon memes and online clones of real news sites, like Le Monde and The Washington Post, to spread propaganda and disinformation, often about the war in Ukraine.
[...] The organizations documenting the campaign -- Check First, a Finnish research company, along with Reset.Tech in London and AI Forensics in Paris -- focused on efforts to sway Facebook users in France, Germany, Poland and Italy. Doppelganger has been also linked to influence operations in the United States, Israel and other countries, but those are not included in the report's findings. [...] The researchers estimated that the ads resulted in more than 123,000 clicks by users and netted Meta at least $338,000 in the European Union alone. The researchers acknowledged that the figures provide only one, incomplete example of the Russian agency's efforts. In addition to propagating Russia's views on Ukraine, the agency posted ads in response to major news events, including theHamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and a terrorist attack in a Moscow suburb last March that killed 145 people. The ads would often appear within 48 hours, trying to shape public perceptions of events. After the Oct. 7 attacks, the ads pushed false claims that Ukraine sold weapons to Hamas. The ads reached more than 237,000 accounts over two to three days, "underscoring the operation's capacity to weaponize current events in support of geopolitical narratives," the researcher's report said.
The Social Design Agency has faced punitive sanctions in the European Union since 2023 and in the United States since April for spreading propaganda and disinformation to unsuspecting users on social media. The ad campaigns on Facebook raise "critical questions about the platform's compliance" with American and European laws, the report said. [...] The Social Design Agency is a public relations company in Moscow that, according to American and European officials, operates a sophisticated influence operation known as Doppelganger. Since 2022, Doppelganger has created cartoon memes and online clones of real news sites, like Le Monde and The Washington Post, to spread propaganda and disinformation, often about the war in Ukraine.
[...] The organizations documenting the campaign -- Check First, a Finnish research company, along with Reset.Tech in London and AI Forensics in Paris -- focused on efforts to sway Facebook users in France, Germany, Poland and Italy. Doppelganger has been also linked to influence operations in the United States, Israel and other countries, but those are not included in the report's findings. [...] The researchers estimated that the ads resulted in more than 123,000 clicks by users and netted Meta at least $338,000 in the European Union alone. The researchers acknowledged that the figures provide only one, incomplete example of the Russian agency's efforts. In addition to propagating Russia's views on Ukraine, the agency posted ads in response to major news events, including theHamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and a terrorist attack in a Moscow suburb last March that killed 145 people. The ads would often appear within 48 hours, trying to shape public perceptions of events. After the Oct. 7 attacks, the ads pushed false claims that Ukraine sold weapons to Hamas. The ads reached more than 237,000 accounts over two to three days, "underscoring the operation's capacity to weaponize current events in support of geopolitical narratives," the researcher's report said.
Alternative headline: (Score:3)
Facebook Is A Huge Dumpster Fire and Meta Can't Be Arsed To Deal With It
Meta is clearly too busy counting out all money it makes to deal with the societal problems it both creates and enables.
Re: (Score:1)
nice post, comrade
He's mod bait (Score:1)
It's not that it's Trump's fault (Score:1, Insightful)
The issue here is everyone is expecting Trump to be soft on Russia because they seem to have some dirt on him. So we're all just sitting waiting to see just how much damage Russia can do with zero restraints over the next 4 years.
Re:It's not that it's Trump's fault (Score:4, Insightful)
He's too busy menacing American allies; threatening to annex their territory.
I kept hearing how Trump was no warmonger. What he really is is no threat to tyrants. But to democracies, he represents an existential threat.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a dangerous time for the world. When shit leaders tank their economies they often turn to invading other countries to distract from it.
Fortunately the EU is more than capable of defending Greenland, but Panama could easily become a bloody mess.
If he withdraws from NATO that will be a huge boost to Russia too. Obviously we can't allow this crap about "Ukraine has to give up territory" either.
That's just him controlling the news cycle (Score:1)
Which is bad enough, but he threw something that insane out there as a distraction. Shit that crazy will effect markets. It adds uncertainty.
There will be a Trump recession, it's just a question of how bad and if we'll get a chance to vote him out.
Re: Russia Russia Russia is back (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
It was for Trump, who is a Russian asset on Putins payroll. They are already preparing to interfere with the next elections, which will not really be necessary because Democracy ends on January 20 anyway.
You mean like the last time [theguardian.com]?
Hire people (Score:1)
And have them start cutting fingers or other things off.
Problem will end fast.
Yeah, 'eluded' (Score:2)
Musk is an agent of Putin (https://apnews.com/article/musk-putin-x-trump-tesla-election-russia-9cecb7cb0f23ccce49336771280ae179).
I don't think there's a similar direct link with Zuck. I'm pretty sure he's just looking to chase the next dollar and doesn't care who gets hurt. If providing aid to an enemy of the state (by simply not trying to stop them from using his platform for their ends) does that, he's onboard.
Of course once the propaganda has done its job... is Russia still the enemy, and can you still
Re: (Score:3)
"Of course once the propaganda has done its job... is Russia still the enemy"
Yes, of course. Putin seeks the destruction of NATO and the US. Having MAGA cheer him on doesn't change that.
"Eluded" (Score:5, Insightful)
"Russian Disinformation Campaigns Eluded Meta's Efforts To Block Them"
They didn't 'elude' Meta's efforts, they were aided by Meta's efforts.
Strange game (Score:2, Insightful)
The only way to win is not to play (use social media).
Buying the government (Score:3)
There are many actors to this story: A lack of fact-checking from Facebook, a lack of truth-in-advertising from US congress, a lack of reporting the facts from main-stream media and PACs, the GOP willfully cheating and breaking the political process, the Democratic Party ignoring corrupt politicians. The US has been an oligarchy for a long time: Trumpism means the rich stop hiding their control of the government and start buying it.
According to three organizations :o (Score:2)
What US three letter ageny are these fronting for? You would think these commie propagandists would be better at disguising the source.
Has the Ionosphere been removed, yet? (Score:2)
But without irony, when I was young, many among my peers owned radios that allowed to receive shortwave radio transmissions from stations around the world, and of course there were propaganda stations in rivaling states dedicated to influence us. And of course they did not have a
What's wrong with free speech for everybody? (Score:1)
I have seen these misinformation posts. One is picture of Jesus with the caption: "Jesus loves the keystone pipeline." This is what they are all upset about?
Would it be a crime if an American posted the same silly meme? So why is it a problem if Russia posts it?
Why is it okay for the US media to spew misinformation about Russia collusion for years? Not to mention dozens of other know BS stories, like: police officer killed by J6 protesters or the "fine people" hoax?
How is US media any better than RT or Al-J