By Xhabir Deralla
False propaganda narratives and disinformation are powerful tools that contribute to mass deception and the erosion of truth, shaping public opinion in societies that fall victim to distorted realities. Let’s explore how these tactics—employed by figures like Trump, Putin, and Orbán—are used globally and their profound impact on democratic processes and societal perceptions.
The latest false propaganda narrative from Mr. Trump’s encampment serves as yet another example of how disinformation works. Trump and his team falsely claim that the image of the crowd gathered at a Michigan airport to support Vice President Kamala Harris was fabricated.
“There was nobody at the plane,” wrote Mr. Trump on his “Truth” social network. He claims the image was generated by A.I., shamelessly declaring in caps-locked letters: “THEY DIDN’T EXIST!” Trump rants in his post, “She had NOBODY waiting, and the ‘crowd’ looked like 10,000 people!” He goes even further, accusing Democrats of cheating and asserting that “she should be disqualified because the creation of a fake image is ELECTION INTERFERENCE.” And all this in a single social media post.
This narrative persists, regardless of the fact that these false claims were debunked by countless photo and video reports from relevant and professional media, as well as posts from attendees. While attempting to undermine Kamala Harris’ campaign, apparently infuriated by the size of the crowds at her events, Trump also falsely compared the size of his January 6 crowd to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” audience. This comparison adds to Trump’s broader narrative, portraying the infamous January 6 insurgents as patriots.
@skynews #DonaldTrump falsely compares the size of a #crowd at a 2021 #speech to that of #MartinLutherKing‘s #USElection #UnitesStates ♬ original sound – Sky News
As we dig deeper into how false narratives and disinformation operate, it becomes evident that these tactics are not confined to a single region or issue. From political leaders to media outlets, the manipulation of truth has become a widespread phenomenon with significant consequences.
Yes, it’s universal!
Characters like Trump can be found in every corner of the world. Their false claims and propaganda often attack the very essence of facts, completely distorting reality and truth. The aim of these practices is to convince people that there are at least two different “truths.”
Let’s take a brief look at some notorious false propaganda claims. Putin, who initiated a Nazi-styled invasion of Ukraine, falsely labels Zelensky a Nazi, despite the well-known fact that Ukraine’s president has Jewish heritage. Meanwhile, Russia is the aggressor, committing countless war crimes, waging a genocidal war, and engaging in a long-running hybrid war against the West. Yet, the Kremlin persists in the narrative that Ukraine is governed by Nazis, claiming that Russia is conducting denazification and merely defending itself from Ukraine and NATO.
In Hungary, Viktor Orbán’s government, among many other illiberal tactics, has spread false narratives about George Soros[1], portraying him as the mastermind behind immigration waves, fueling xenophobia and hate. In June 2018, the Hungarian parliament passed the so-called “Stop Soros” legislation, which outlawed helping illegal immigrants claim asylum and apply for residence in the country. However, in November of the same year, Orbán granted political asylum to Nikola Gruevski, the former Prime Minister of North Macedonia, who remains a fugitive from justice to this day. Similar propaganda narratives can be found in other European countries, including North Macedonia and other Western Balkan nations[2], as well as in the U.S.
In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has used false narratives to consolidate power[3]. After the failed coup attempt in 2016, Erdoğan ousted thousands of government officials, academics, and journalists, labeling them as terrorists without evidence. Many ended up in prisons. Erdoğan falsely claimed that they were part of a vast conspiracy orchestrated by his political rivals, including Fethullah Gülen, despite the lack of credible proof.
In the Philippines, former President Rodrigo Duterte used to frequently spread disinformation to justify his brutal war on drugs[4]. He exaggerated the number of drug addicts and criminalized entire communities, claiming they were overrun with drug dealers. His rhetoric led to thousands of extrajudicial killings, which were later dismissed as necessary for national security. According to Human Rights Watch World Report 2018, Duterte’s “war on drugs” resulted in the deaths of over 12,000 Filipinos, mostly from urban poor communities. At least 2,555 of these killings have been attributed to the Philippine National Police.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration has spread false narratives to fuel extreme nationalist sentiments[5]. During his election campaign in April 2024, he repeatedly issued islamophobic statements, claiming that Muslim immigrants are a threat to India’s security and culture, which has triggered widespread hate and violent incidents. That also justified harsh policies like the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The examination of false propaganda narratives and disinformation around the world reveals their power in eroding trust and shaping public perception in favor of aggressive authoritarian structures. As democratic and progressive forces work to confront these challenges, it becomes clear that understanding their impact on both national and global levels, as well as their interconnectedness, is crucial for safeguarding democratic values and promoting informed public discourse.
These examples illustrate a disturbing trend: the use of artificial intelligence in the creation and distribution of false propaganda and disinformation is becoming a significant challenge to elections and democratic processes.
The more outrageous the lie, the more it seems to gain traction, causing friction and polarization.
The aim is not just to dispute facts but also to create an entirely different reality, where truth becomes a matter of opinion and facts are malleable. This is where authoritarian leaders, along with corrupt, militant, and violent forces, attempt to gain the upper hand in the battle to capture people’s minds and souls.
[1] Euronews, Hungary’s Stop Soros law that criminalises helping asylum seekers ‘infringes EU law’, November 16, 2021, https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2021/11/16/hungary-move-to-criminalise-support-of-asylum-seekers-infringes-eu-law
[2] Asya Metodieva, Russian Narrative Proxies in The Western Balkans, The German Marshall Fund of the United States, June 2019, https://www.gmfus.org/sites/default/files/Russian%2520Narrative%2520Proxies%2520in%2520Balkans.pdf
[3] Abdullah Bozkurt, CIA did not buy Erdoğan government’s story on 2016 coup attempt, Nordic Monitor, July 15, 2024, https://nordicmonitor.com/2024/07/cia-did-not-buy-erdogan-governments-story-on-2016-coup-attempt/
[4] Human Rights Watch, Philippines’ ‘War on Drugs’, https://www.hrw.org/tag/philippines-war-drugs
[5] Rhea Mogul, Modi’s Muslim remarks spark ‘hate speech’ accusations as India’s mammoth election deepens divides, CNN, April 22, 2024, https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/22/asia/india-modi-muslim-hate-speech-allegations-intl-hnk/index.html
This is an opinion article. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author.
