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France uncovers a vast Russian disinformation campaign in Europe (www.economist.com)

submitted 9 months ago by L4s to c/technology

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France uncovers a vast Russian disinformation campaign in Europe::undefined

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[–] UnderpantsWeevil 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Right now, France is gripped by a large labor revolt in the agricultural sector being driven by the state's effort to increase agricultural imports from North Africa and Eastern Europe while reducing state price-supports for down-year crops. This threatens to lead to large scale real estate consolidation and foreign real estate purchase. Nationalists, agricultural owner-operators, and farmers exposed to rising interest rates (basically all of them) don't like this very much.

However, claiming the heartland farmers of rural France are angry at Macron for selling out the agg sector to financial interests in Brussels and Zurich isn't going to be too popular as we approach the 2024 EU Parliamentary elections. So we're getting an earful about how all these local yokels are hoodwinked by anti-EU Russian Propaganda.

If you're not in favor of truckloads of exported Ukranian agricultural salvage ending up competing with fresh French produce on store shelves, then you're a secret spy for Putin and a traitor.

[–] cygon 4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

A perfect demonstration of how Russian indoctrination works right here.

Original reporting: A major disinfo attack against Europe being prepared by Russia is uncovered through diligent investigation and published and reported on.

The response:

1. divert to farmer's dissatisfaction with several policies
1. cast disinfo reports as underhanded attempts (by politician Russia wants gone) to arrogantly brush off farmer's concerns (which the report never even related to)
1. claim Macron is selling out to EU (here, have a serving of anti-EU sentiment, too)
1. vaccinate reader against the disinfo being countered ("everyone who tells you otherwise belittles you and hates you, join us in our righteous anger")

Emotional framing:

Nationalists, agricultural owner-operators, and farmers exposed to rising interest rates

"truckloads of exported Ukranian agricultural salvage" vs. "fresh French produce"

we’re getting an earful about how all these local yokels are hoodwinked by anti-EU Russian Propaganda

Macron for selling out the agg sector to financial interests in Brussels

"If you’re not in favor of (insert supposed evil acts described in lurid way), then you’re a secret spy for Putin and a traitor."

Result: The reader comes out the other end an angry person, outraged about the plight of farmers, outraged again at disinfo reports supposedly serving to silence them, outraged once more at a France politician selling them out to the EU, EU painted as high-and-mighty villain, automatic anger against anyone who tells them a different viewpoint ready to trigger.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil 1 points 9 months ago

A major disinfo attack

The question was "What disinformation is being circulated?"

And the answer is "By answering this you are doing Russian propaganda"

Result: The reader comes out the other end an angry person

Isn't that the same result as the original "Russia is doing an evil propaganda" headline?