Series:Center for the Study of Democracy - CSD Policy Briefs

CSD Policy Brief No. 99: Disinformation Narratives in the 2021 Parliamentary Elections

CSD Policy Brief No. 99: Disinformation Narratives in the 2021 Parliamentary Elections

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

The Bulgarian society has long been exposed to disinformation narratives in traditional and social media. The deterioration of media freedom on the back of the oligarchization of the media market has undermined the quality and objectivity of journalism. The media environment has been further undermined by the indiscriminate penetration of social media networks, which algorithms have further amplified sensationalist disinformation. This policy brief zooms in on the prevalence and connections to the pre-election campaign of four popular (disinformation) narratives related to conspiracy theories about COVID-19, to the support of the large Russian energy projects, the opposition to the European Green Deal and the growing anti-EU sentiments in the Bulgarian society.

CSD Policy Brief №. 152: Gendered Disinformation: Challenges for Ukrainian Refugees

CSD Policy Brief №. 152: Gendered Disinformation: Challenges for Ukrainian Refugees

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: dis-information; hybrid war;

Disinformation remains one of the Kremlin's main tools for consolidating political power at the national level and exerting influence over other states. Bulgaria's unstable rule of law institutions, high levels of corruption and digital skills gap have further made it both a target and a hub for cybercrime and pro-Russian disinformation targeting vulnerable groups. Of all the threats in the digital sphere, migrant girls and women, female war refugees, and girls and women working for democracy, women's rights and LGBTIQ people are among the most vulnerable to forms of online violence, harassment and abuse. Due to disinformation campaigns targeting women and refugees in Bulgaria, such groups with intersecting identities face a significant increase in discrimination in their daily lives, access to healthcare and public services, education and housing, compared to the years before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. // Pro-Russian segments in Bulgarian social media networks are the main disseminators and amplifiers of disinformation narratives against women of Ukrainian origin in Bulgaria. The Facebook pages that predominantly share such content and attract the most interactions include support for Putin, Russia and anti-Euro-Atlantic positions in their titles. They promote pro-Russian views such as leaving NATO, opposing Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone, and the Kremlin's supremacy in geopolitics and as the sole defender of 'traditional values'. // Some Bulgarian politicians and civil society activists repeat pro-Russian rhetoric, but such discriminatory, reductive and harmful behaviour is not limited to the far-right or fringe parties in Bulgaria. In addition, Bulgarian politicians largely avoid being associated with issues related to gender identities for fear of being branded as promoters of gender ideology , a culturally pejorative term in Bulgarian slang implying the propagation of non-traditional sexual identities and sexualised content. As a result, gender disinformation remains off the political agenda. There is no political will to introduce legislation and policy measures to combat identity-based disinformation, online abuse and hate crimes because policymakers themselves do not perceive it as disinformation and neglect the real consequences of the problem.

CSD Policy Brief №. 153: Countering Kremlin’s Global Influence in Latin America

CSD Policy Brief №. 153: Countering Kremlin’s Global Influence in Latin America

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Russia has reengaged with Latin America, offering state-sponsored projects and using tools of economic coercion, sharp power, and information warfare, often exploiting governance deficits and reinforcing state capture. The Kremlin Playbook in the region has targeted key sectors such as energy and agriculture. Russia’s largest oil and gas companies have gained significant footprint in Latin America, bringing in around $14 billion in revenues from selling discounted petroleum products to the region since 2022. Some of the 100 largest Russian companies, including many sanctioned by the West, have expanded the stock of their financial assets held in Caribbean offshore hubs to $70 billion. At the same time, Russia has deployed sharp power instruments to co-opt political elites, civil society organizations, cultural and academic networks, and media outlets to promote narratives that undermine the region’s social and political cohesion. // The current analysis examines Russia’s economic and political influence in Latin America, which is based on the entrenchment of asymmetrical dependencies in the region. To counter these strategies, CSD proposes targeted reforms for improving the quality of governance, accelerating economic diversification and boosting international cooperation.