Russia is conducting an influence operation aimed at discrediting protests in Georgia

Main image: A demonstrator holds a flag of the European Union during a protest against the so-called “foreign agents” bill in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 1, 2024.  (Source: Reuters/Irakli Gedenidze)

Researchers have identified a network of malicious accounts targeting American users on the social media platform X with the aim of discrediting protests in Georgia sparked by an unpopular law modeled after Russian legislation, reports The Report. According to an analysis by the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) of the Atlantic Council published earlier this week, this campaign was likely organized by the Russia-linked malicious network Doppelgänger, known for spreading disinformation in the United States and Europe.

DFRLab identified about 40 suspicious X accounts that were posting responses related to Georgia on various U.S. accounts on the platform, including those of prominent figures such as U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz, various news platforms like Democracy Now, and a sports memes account.

The Doppelgänger accounts were likely automated, commonly referred to as bots. They were created in May 2024, have no posts or followers, and use publicly available stock images, predominantly of animals and cars, as avatars.

The content disseminated by these bots aimed to discredit anti-government protests in Georgia and spread conspiracy theories suggesting that they were instigated by the United States. They also engaged in anti-Ukrainian content and criticized U.S. President Joe Biden.

"While the identified accounts were usually removed from the platform within a few days, they appear to represent only a part of the network," DFRLab stated.

Earlier this spring, Georgians began protesting against the ruling party "Georgian Dream," which passed a law on "foreign agents" targeting non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and individuals associated with international organizations. Many in Georgia and beyond fear that this law could be used to silence independent media and civil society, similar to laws in Russia.

While X is not widely popular in Georgia, researchers note that the international community, including the United States, has used the platform to express support for protests in Georgia. American and European officials and organizations have also used X to voice their support for the protests and to share criticism of the law and the Georgian Dream party.