Russian and Chinese ‘influence networks’ spread disinformation about Ireland on social media

Separate security sources have told the Irish Examiner that the “biggest threat” to European democracies in the coming years will come from “more and more sophisticated” fake videos produced by rapid advances in AI and Generative AI.

“A lot of the Russian disinformation is fairly crass,” one security source said. “And where of lot of disinformation was identifiable before, with AI and Generative AI it will be harder and harder to detect and the origins of it more and more opaque.” 

Ireland is still without a State structure to counter disinformation and foreign influence. The report of the National Counter Disinformation Strategy Working Group, which was first due to report a year ago, is still awaited.

The Department of Arts told the Irish Examiner the group’s report is due to go to the Cabinet “shortly” and published afterwards. The Norwegian report, by its Defence Research Establishment, examined posts from “known Russian and Chinese influence networks” between September 2023 and September 2024.

In relation to Ireland it found:

• 6,058 posts sent by known Russian networks mentioned Ireland, ranking Ireland 29 out of 38 European countries;
• 1,538 posts from known Chinese networks mentioned Ireland, placing Ireland 16 out of the 38 countries. Ireland has the 25th largest population out of the 38 countries.

The report said the foreign networks used Facebook, X, TikTok and Telegram. The researchers found Russian profiles “use an antagonistic rhetoric with extensive use of disinformation”, trying to undermine support in Europe for Ukraine.

Chinese networks mainly focus on positive messaging about China and had a “greater interest” in Western European states than Eastern European states. It said the vast majority of Chinese posts promote China as “a global leader and attractive partner” in business and trade.

“However, our assessment is that China’s activity should be interpreted in context of [Chinese State] doctrines…which are intended to help achieve China’s goal of global, authoritarian dominance,” it said.

Assistant Professor Eileen Culloty of DCU’s School of Communications said the Norwegian study didn’t reveal how exactly Ireland was being referenced.

But she said: “It is still valuable to have public reports like this that help people monitor what is happening online. At a minimum, we need more accurate information.” 

Ms Culloty said there was a question about “whether any of this is influential”.

“But it’s difficult to have a clear-eyed analysis of influence if we know little about what’s happening online. 

Social media companies keep making it harder to analyse the public content they host. 

Eoin McNamara, a research fellow in global security at the Finnish Institute of International Relations, said Ireland has been “much more ambivalent towards China” in its foreign and trade policies than some EU countries.

“China sees Ireland as a good investment for its information influence resources and can create a positive image of China despite its increasingly assertive global posture,” Mr McNamara said.

He added: “Ireland’s security mindset is problematically stuck in the past. Few should be surprised that powers aiming to compete with the West will want to interfere in Ireland’s affairs and/or influence its foreign policy.” 

Professor Ben Tonra, UCD School of Politics and International Relations, said there was “an urgent need” to better co-ordinate the work of Irish agencies and “to centralise and strengthen analysis and to put additional resources into the field”.

He said: “While this is centrally about defending Ireland from malevolent efforts it is also part of a much wider picture of active hostile efforts directed against Europe – to which Ireland has to address itself.”