Russia & China Manipulating UK Public Opinion by Promoting Pro-Palestinian Rhetoric

[Social Media]

 

Senior UK government figures have raised concerns that Russia and China are manipulating public opinion in Britain by promoting pro-Palestinian influencers online. These efforts, believed to be aimed at stoking division and undermining British institutions, involve the use of fake social media accounts to amplify polarizing narratives about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

 

Analysis of prominent pro-Palestinian social media influencers in the UK, who have gained significant popularity since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, indicates that many of their followers are fake. Security experts suggest that these fake profiles artificially boost the visibility of pro-Palestinian voices, leveraging social media algorithms to ensure these messages reach a wider audience. This manipulation is seen as part of a broader disinformation campaign. A government source highlighted the threat posed by foreign states: "It’s clear that foreign states are engaged in trying to manipulate public opinion by skewing the way we interact online. They hope to destabilise and undermine our institutions."

 

In response to these threats, the UK government has tasked the Defending Democracy Taskforce, chaired by Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, with addressing online disinformation. This taskforce, which includes members of the security services, focuses on countering the influence of rogue state actors like Russia and China. Officials in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) are closely monitoring disinformation about the Gaza conflict and are in regular contact with social media firms. Robert Clarke, a senior fellow at Civitas, explained Russia's motivations: "Moscow is desperate to divert attention away from the war in Ukraine. They exploit international outrage over Israel to focus attention on another major global event and to stoke divisions in British society."

 

Fiyaz Mughal, founder of interfaith groups Tell Mama, Faith Matters, and Muslims Against Anti-Semitism, has observed a significant rise in divisive social media influencers since October 7. He warned that these activities are intended to fracture and divide communities, particularly affecting Muslim-Jewish relations. Research by Cyabra, a tech firm specializing in countering disinformation, found that many leading pro-Palestinian social media figures have a high number of fake followers. For instance, one in five accounts engaging with commentator Dilly Hussain are fake. Hussain has used his platform to make inflammatory statements against Israel.

Lowkey, a rapper with over 390,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), and Robert Carter, a journalist with 125,000 followers, also have significant proportions of fake followers. Both have made controversial statements about Israel, with Lowkey calling Gaza an "open-air prison" and Carter accusing Israel of using chemical weapons.

 

This manipulation of social media discourse by state actors poses a significant challenge to the integrity of public opinion in the UK. Israeli ministers have also expressed concerns about the influence of pro-Hamas narratives in Britain, warning of the broader threat posed by such organizations. Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister of diaspora affairs, emphasized the need for the UK to take stronger action: "The British authorities need to be far more active, far more aggressive against these enemies, which threaten not just the Jewish community, but the way of life and the basic values of Britain as a democratic state."

 

A government spokesperson reiterated the commitment to defending democratic processes: "Defending our democratic processes is an absolute priority, and we will continue calling out malicious activity that poses a threat to our institutions and values."

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-05-21

 

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[Drumbuie]

There is a distinction between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism.

Many thousands of Israelis are on the streets regularly protesting against the actions of their own government - are they anti-Semitic?

Some Israeli government ministers have even had their fill of Netanyahu's actions - are they anti-Semitic? 

 

[JonnyF]

Wouldn't surprise me.

 

Encouraging support of the terrorists in Hamas and the Palestine supporters is a great way to cause problems for the UK and increase the anti-semitism we are seeing on UK streets. 

 

We have enough of this already from the BBC, the police and Labour. The last thing we need is China and Russia encouraging these useful idiots. 

[koolkarl]

The power of the media can make the sheep believe that the moon is made of cheese is written enough.  Read the Koran to know what this group is up to and that is the only media that matters to infidels.

[koolkarl]

Al jazeera hired many BBC journalists, who were bribed with large salaries, to broadcast muslim propaganda on Al jazeera.  These journalists should be ashamed of themselves.  Al jazeera is trying to show that by hiring these BBC journalists, that they are credible. 

[herfiehandbag]

51 minutes ago, Drumbuie said:

There is a distinction between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism.

Many thousands of Israelis are on the streets regularly protesting against the actions of their own government - are they anti-Semitic?

Some Israeli government ministers have even had their fill of Netanyahu's actions - are they anti-Semitic? 

 

Yes there is. But the "influencers" referred to in this article are raising exaggerated claims, central to which is the "Jewish" nature of Israel, and are glorifying and justifying Hamas's actions, and proclaimed intent to destroy (slaughter) the Jewish. That is antisemitism.

[newbee2022]

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

Senior UK government figures have raised concerns that Russia and China are manipulating public opinion in Britain by promoting pro-Palestinian influencers online. These efforts, believed to be aimed at stoking division and undermining British institutions, involve the use of fake social media accounts to amplify polarizing narratives about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

 

Analysis of prominent pro-Palestinian social media influencers in the UK, who have gained significant popularity since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, indicates that many of their followers are fake. Security experts suggest that these fake profiles artificially boost the visibility of pro-Palestinian voices, leveraging social media algorithms to ensure these messages reach a wider audience. This manipulation is seen as part of a broader disinformation campaign. A government source highlighted the threat posed by foreign states: "It’s clear that foreign states are engaged in trying to manipulate public opinion by skewing the way we interact online. They hope to destabilise and undermine our institutions."

 

In response to these threats, the UK government has tasked the Defending Democracy Taskforce, chaired by Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, with addressing online disinformation. This taskforce, which includes members of the security services, focuses on countering the influence of rogue state actors like Russia and China. Officials in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) are closely monitoring disinformation about the Gaza conflict and are in regular contact with social media firms. Robert Clarke, a senior fellow at Civitas, explained Russia's motivations: "Moscow is desperate to divert attention away from the war in Ukraine. They exploit international outrage over Israel to focus attention on another major global event and to stoke divisions in British society."

 

Fiyaz Mughal, founder of interfaith groups Tell Mama, Faith Matters, and Muslims Against Anti-Semitism, has observed a significant rise in divisive social media influencers since October 7. He warned that these activities are intended to fracture and divide communities, particularly affecting Muslim-Jewish relations. Research by Cyabra, a tech firm specializing in countering disinformation, found that many leading pro-Palestinian social media figures have a high number of fake followers. For instance, one in five accounts engaging with commentator Dilly Hussain are fake. Hussain has used his platform to make inflammatory statements against Israel.

Lowkey, a rapper with over 390,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), and Robert Carter, a journalist with 125,000 followers, also have significant proportions of fake followers. Both have made controversial statements about Israel, with Lowkey calling Gaza an "open-air prison" and Carter accusing Israel of using chemical weapons.

 

This manipulation of social media discourse by state actors poses a significant challenge to the integrity of public opinion in the UK. Israeli ministers have also expressed concerns about the influence of pro-Hamas narratives in Britain, warning of the broader threat posed by such organizations. Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister of diaspora affairs, emphasized the need for the UK to take stronger action: "The British authorities need to be far more active, far more aggressive against these enemies, which threaten not just the Jewish community, but the way of life and the basic values of Britain as a democratic state."

 

A government spokesperson reiterated the commitment to defending democratic processes: "Defending our democratic processes is an absolute priority, and we will continue calling out malicious activity that poses a threat to our institutions and values."

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-05-21

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Of course Russia and China try (successfully) to influence politics in the West. But I suppose it's vice versa. (Including Israel)🙏🏿

[goldenbrwn1]

1 hour ago, koolkarl said:

The power of the media can make the sheep believe that the moon is made of cheese is written enough.  Read the Koran to know what this group is up to and that is the only media that matters to infidels.

And the kids are so blooming stupid these days with the overload of information through SM . The education system in the UK and other western countries has been slowly taken over by activist teachers . I never ever knew any of my teachers political leanings back in the 80’s . All I knew was to always have a spare fag for some in case I was caught  smoking . 

[JCauto]

42 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Of course Russia and China try (successfully) to influence politics in the West. But I suppose it's vice versa. (Including Israel)🙏🏿

First sensible thing I've seen you post. Although of course your basic anti-semitism shines through eventually, as if Israel has a greater voice in world media than the USA...