The SRI reaction to the Hotnews investigation on the Pro-Russia campaign on Tiktok. How can fake account networks be identified

The Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) specifies that it follows “hostile operations in the sphere of propaganda and misinformation” in the online environment and mentions the “indicators” after which the false social media account networks can be identified for this purpose. The SRI details come after Hotnews has published an investigation into a pro-Russia and pro-Putin campaign that runs through Tiktok.

• The first of the news is that “Putin” is addressed directly to Romanians.
• The second is that “Putin” on Tiktok invokes a future war between Russia and the EU. Not between Russia and NATO, as before. The US is avoided in messages, “hatred” is mobilized to Europe.

SRI comes with a series of clarifications regarding misinformation and propaganda activities in the online environment:

“The SRI constantly analyzes the state of security at national level, in accordance with the attributions conferred by the legal framework, in order to anticipate, prevent and counteract the threats with manifestation in the online environment generated by hostile actors in order to affect the constitutional order and the resilience of the state, and cooperate with the other institutions with responsibilities.

The service aims to identify, analyze and combat risks and threats to security
National generated by the way in which various actors use the online environment for the development of hostile operations from the sphere of propaganda and misinformation, especially through non-authorized behaviors at the level of social platforms ”, a Post is a Facebook account of the SRI.

How False Account networks work

At the same time, SRI mentions indicators of the use of false account networks, which act coordinated and, possibly, by automated methods:

• the reduced activity until the repetitive post of some propaganda or misinformation narratives;
• a non -terrible number of pursuers in relation to the history of the activity and the distributed content;
• concomitant activity, at non-specific time intervals to real users (large breaks in activity, repetitive comments/appreciation in a short time);
• the similarity of the name of some accounts (derived from a common name);
• The use of tactics adapted to each platform for artificial increase of the audiences of the promoted content.

The SRI recalls that, by Law 58/2023, the Law of national security was updated, so two new threats were added to the national security:

• Actions, inactions or states of fact with consequences at national, regional or global level that affect the resilience of the state in relation to the risks and threats of hybrid type;
• Actions carried out by a state or non -state entity, by achieving, in the cyber space, of some propaganda or misinformation campaigns, which may affect the constitutional order.

Propaganda Pro-Ruse on Tiktok

HotNews.ro published an investigation on Friday that in the last week the pro-Russia and pro-Putin propaganda accounts have increased with posts in Romanian. For the first time, they are thousands and are allegedly addressed by Vladimir Putin.

In the videos analyzed by HotNews.ro it seems that Putin is addressing directly to Romanians, invoking a war between Russia and Europe. The accounts that propagate such messages can be divided into two categories: newly established accounts and accounts that previously performed pro-Georgecu.

Hotnews has selected some of the dozens of accounts identified on Tiktok, which send pro-Russia and anti-European messages.

• “The 170,000 Romanians who follow me should concern you. They realized that their enemy is Europe and not Russia”-the account nothing without God (@mosurespect), with over 4 million appreciations.

Numerous accounts have answered this post, with pro- little messages, such as: “little has time to talk to the Romanians.”

• “Yes, I like Putin! I like Russia! In Russia, the man is a man and the word is word, not T.RFE who sell” – the Izvoranca account, with 1.4 million appreciations.

At this post it has hundreds of comments, most of them pro-Russia: “I love Russia from the heart. Strength,”, “religion approaches Russia, while Woke ideology away from European non-values.”

• “If Russia attacks Europe, I swear to fight for Russia! Our enemy is Europe!”- Vladimirputinophical account, with over 30 thousand appreciations.

Other accounts responded to this post, with messages such as: Russia will destroy Europe, without nuclear weapons, it is the last option, destructive! Avoid a direct war with Russia! “,” Hate, hatred, hatred, live a little. Respect! “