Meta has already blocked 39 Russian influence networks, the biggest threat is posed by the Russian network of fake websites Doppelganger
Meta, according to Nick Clegg, president of global affairs, has taken down about 20 new covert influence operations worldwide this year. They covered the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Here's What We Know
Russia remains the "leader" among the sources of covert influence operations, with 39 networks dismantled since 2017. Iran ranks second with 31 networks, and China is third with 11 networks. Most of the networks tried to create the appearance of authenticity by using fake subscriptions and likes. For example, Meta identified a network from the Transnistria region that targeted Russian-speaking audiences in Moldova, but the campaign was shut down before it had built a real audience.
Interestingly, most of these operations operated not only on Meta platforms, but also on YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Telegram, Pinterest, and others. For example, videos related to the US elections and attributed to Russian influential networks were distributed mostly on Twitter and Telegram, bypassing the Meta platform. In the few cases where such material made it into the Meta ecosystem, it was labelled as content related to influence operations.
Why It Matters
Meta paid particular attention tothe Doppelganger operation, a large-scale network of fake websites that imitate real news outlets and government organisations. Since 2022, Meta has exposed more than 6,000 such domains and created a public threat registry available to researchers and analysts. However, even after being exposed, the operation quickly resumes operations, particularly on platforms with lower levels of protection, such as Telegram and Twitter.
Meta also continued its global fight against Russian state media, banning resources such as Russia Today. This was in addition to previous restrictions such as blocking ads, reducing the visibility of their content, and labelling messages.
Doppelganger
Operation Doppelganger is a large-scale Russian disinformation campaign that has been aimed at manipulating public opinion in Ukraine, the United States and Europe since 2022. Its goal is to undermine international support for Ukraine, including military assistance, and to spread false information through fake news sites that mimic established media and pro-Russian narratives on social media. Using fake accounts, copies of reputable media outlets and sophisticated technical schemes, the campaign effectively manipulated public opinion.
The operation was uncovered through investigations by the FBI and EU DisinfoLab, which proved its connection to the Russian government and exposed numerous fake websites and accounts. Despite the exposure, Doppelganger continues to operate, using modern tools to spread disinformation about the war in Ukraine. This is a reminder of the need to combat information attacks and the importance of fake news awareness.
Source: Meta
