ANALYSIS // Inauthentic social media content floods Moldovan citizens' feeds with messages of fear

Social media feeds of Moldova in the past 30 days have been flooded with inauthentic content promoting fear: fear of the European Union, war, European integration and the loss of the country's neutrality, according to an analysis conducted by Expert Forum (EFOR).

According to a recent analysis, 3,392 videos were monitored, with a total of 13.6 million views, coming from 100 accounts with coordinated behavior. At the same time, 36,338 comments were analyzed, with thousands showing copy-paste messages, indicating artificial orchestration of public opinion.

This situation triggers important questions regarding the integrity of the elections, as citizens' opinions are shaped by mass-generated posts that mimic real people's behavior, according to Expert Forum (EFOR).

Experts emphasize that regulating digital content should not be confused with censoring opinions. It is essential to halt the artificial infrastructure that takes over citizens' feeds and dictates the perceived daily reality on social platforms.

By at least one month before the elections, defending freedom of expression means protecting authenticity and the real people who create content, rather than the bots invading feeds of Moldova.

This situation highlights the need for digital education, transparency in the online environment and measures to monitor coordinated content, in order to ensure a safe and authentic informational space for citizens, the cited source added.