Disinformation campaigns and coordinated efforts to sway public opinion have long been a tool of state and nonstate actors. Social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have historically faced pressure to curb these efforts when they align with interests abroad. Recently, for the first time, these networks moved to disrupt a US‑sponsored covert operation that used a broad set of accounts to push pro‑Western viewpoints to audiences in the Middle East and parts of Asia.
A fresh analysis by Graphika in collaboration with Stanford University reveals that the takedown targeted a campaign that sought to shape narratives on international politics in favor of Western perspectives. The content included advocacy for Ukraine and criticisms of Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran. Posts in the operation appeared to link to websites funded by government resources associated with the United States, echoing messaging from outlets thought to align with Western policy agendas, and were framed in ways that could be mistaken for independent reporting.
The timeline marks an important moment in the ongoing effort by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to curb influence campaigns that operate abroad and contravene platform rules. A Meta spokesperson confirmed action was taken against the coordinated operation, while a representative for Twitter did not comment on the matter.
Researchers also noted the practical limits of such efforts. They pointed out that most posts and tweets in the examined cluster received only a modest engagement, with few likes or retweets, suggesting that many audiences were not deeply influenced by the material. This observation underscores the challenge of countering disinformation that relies on broad reach rather than deep resonance.
Manipulation as a business model
In recent years, major social platforms have publicized the mechanisms used to detect propaganda campaigns and disinformation, often in response to public scrutiny. Analysts describe a growing market for online manipulation that has generated substantial revenue. Conservative estimates place the scale of this activity in the billions since 2009, highlighting the profitability of shaping political discourse through online orchestration.
Political consultancies have increasingly specialized in producing and disseminating fake campaigns intended to influence public opinion and electoral outcomes. A study from the University of Oxford identified about 65 firms engaged in such operations across 48 countries in 2020. The expansion of this ecosystem has raised concerns about sovereignty, electoral integrity, and the reliability of digital information that citizens rely on for civic participation.
The convergence of political objectives, commercial incentives, and sophisticated online tooling makes it difficult for platforms and regulators to keep pace. Stakeholders continue to debate the most effective approaches to transparency, accountability, and user education, aiming to reduce the susceptibility of communities to manipulation while preserving legitimate discourse and free expression.