Saturday, 7 Jun 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > World > Russian disinformation spreading in new ways despite bans
World

Russian disinformation spreading in new ways despite bans

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
Russian disinformation spreading in new ways despite bans
SHARE

WASHINGTON (AP) — After Russia invaded Ukraine last February, the European Union moved to block RT and Sputnik, two of the Kremlin’s top channels for spreading propaganda and misinformation about the war.

Nearly six months later, the number of sites pushing that same content has exploded as Russia found ways to evade the ban. They’ve rebranded their work to disguise it. They’ve shifted some propaganda duties to diplomats. And they’ve cut and pasted much of the content on new websites — ones that until now had no obvious ties to Russia.

NewsGuard, a New York-based firm that studies and tracks online misinformation, has now identified 250 websites actively spreading Russian disinformation about the war, with dozens of new ones added in recent months.

Claims on these sites include allegations that Ukraine’s army has staged some deadly Russian attacks to curry global support, that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is faking public appearances, or that Ukrainian refugees are committing crimes in Germany and Poland.

Some of the sites pose as independent think tanks or news outlets. About half are English-language, while others are in French, German or Italian. Many were set up long before the war and were not obviously tied to the Russian government until they suddenly began parroting Kremlin talking points.

“They may be establishing sleeper sites,” said NewsGuard co-CEO Gordon Crovitz. Sleeper sites are websites created for a disinformation campaign that lay largely dormant, slowly building an audience through innocuous or unrelated posts, and then switching to propaganda or disinformation at an appointed time.

While NewsGuard’s analysis found that much of the disinformation about the war in Ukraine is coming from Russia, it did find instances of false claims with a pro-Ukrainian bent. They included claims about a hotshot fighter ace known as the Ghost of Kyiv that officials later admitted was a myth.

YouTube, TikTok and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, all pledged to remove RT and Sputnik from their platforms within the European Union. But researchers have found that in some cases all Russia had to do to evade the ban was to post it from a different account.

The Disinformation Situation Center, a Europe-based coalition of disinformation researchers, found that some RT video content was showing up on social media under a new brand name and logo. In the case of some video footage, the RT brand was simply removed from the video and reposted on a new YouTube channel not covered by the EU’s ban.

More aggressive content moderation of social media could make it harder for Russia to circumvent the ban, according to Felix Kartte, a senior adviser at Reset, a U.K.-based nonprofit that has funded the Disinformation Situation Center’s work and is critical of social media’s role in democratic discourse.

“Rather than putting effective content moderation systems in place, they are playing whack-a-mole with the Kremlin’s disinformation apparatus,” Kartte said.

YouTube’s parent company did not immediately respond to questions seeking comment about the ban.

In the EU, officials are trying to shore up their defenses. This spring the EU approved legislation that would require tech companies to do more to root out disinformation. Companies that fail could face big fines.

European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova last month called disinformation “a growing problem in the EU, and we really have to take stronger measures.”

The proliferation of sites spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine shows that Russia had a plan in case governments or tech companies tried to restrict RT and Sputnik. That means Western leaders and tech companies will have to do more than shutter one or two websites if they hope to stop the flow of Kremlin disinformation.

“The Russians are a lot smarter,” said NewsGuard’s other co-CEO, Steven Brill.

Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Learning from failures: How Biden scored win on climate plan Learning from failures: How Biden scored win on climate plan
Next Article Ozzy Osbourne Returns to the Stage for the First Time Following Recent Surgery Ozzy Osbourne Returns to the Stage for the First Time Following Recent Surgery

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

Wilko Johnson, British rocker who defied cancer, dies at 75

LONDON (AP) — Wilko Johnson, the guitarist with British blues-rock band Dr. Feelgood who had…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Jussie Smollett sentenced to 150 days in jail in fake attack

CHICAGO (AP) — A judge sentenced Jussie Smollett to 150 days in jail, branding the…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Steve Kerr Reveals If He Regrets Benching Jayson Tatum In Olympics

(Picture by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Pictures)   The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics are taking…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

‘Spin Me Round’ star Alison Brie on writing her own roles, those ‘She-Hulk’ rumors and a ‘Community’ movie

Alison Brie in Spin Me Round. (Photo: IFC Films)Alison Brie still has no idea where…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

Federal prosecutor reportedly give up over concern Ábrego García indictment was politically motivated – US politics stay
World

Federal prosecutor reportedly give up over concern Ábrego García indictment was politically motivated – US politics stay

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Labour byelection win exhibits ‘SNP’s balloon has burst’, says Anas Sarwar
World

Labour byelection win exhibits ‘SNP’s balloon has burst’, says Anas Sarwar

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
College of Michigan utilizing undercover investigators to surveil pupil Gaza protesters
World

College of Michigan utilizing undercover investigators to surveil pupil Gaza protesters

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Endangered sharks being killed at alarming ranges in Pacific, Greenpeace claims, after reducing 20km of vessel’s longline
World

Endangered sharks being killed at alarming ranges in Pacific, Greenpeace claims, after reducing 20km of vessel’s longline

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?