MDF releases pre-election monitoring report on anti-Western messages, hate speech, fake news
By Khatia Bzhalava
Tuesday, November 17
Media Development Foundation (MDF) has published the results of monitoring conducted ahead of the 2020 parliamentary elections. The monitoring focused on the cases of anti-Western messages and hate speech voiced by electoral subjects and political parties, as well as fake news and discrediting campaigns. The monitoring of hate speech and anti-Western narratives covers the period from August 1 to October 25, 2020, while the monitoring of fake information includes cases revealed in a period between August 1 and November 10.
According to the report, electoral subjects made a total of 157 anti-western speeches during the monitoring period. The largest share (65) of anti-western messages targeted the West as a common geopolitical space with shared values, as well as geographical and institutional unity. Then comes NATO with 41 messages. Statements against NATO were most frequently made by The Alliance of Patriots, “highlighting the need for supporting neutrality and direct talks with Russia as a solution to the problems.” 26 statements were made against the United States, 15 against civil society organizations and Soros, and 10 against the European Union.
Among political parties, the majority (89) of the anti-Western comments were made by the Alliance of Patriots, followed by Georgian March and Georgian Idea parties (18).
Out of 140 statements made during the reporting period containing hate speech, the largest share accounts for xenophobic comments, which is then followed by comments of homophobic context. According to the report, among politicians, the majority of discriminatory remarks were made by the members of Alliance of Patriots (75), followed by Georgian March with 37 comments, Free Georgia - 7, Georgian Idea - 5, Georgian Roots – 4, Lelo for Georgia – 4. Labor Party and Georgian Dream each made two comments. The majority of xenophobic statements were Turkophobic, Armenophobic about migrants, and against the sale of lands to foreign nationals.
As the report suggests, within the reporting period, 22 pieces of disinformation and manipulative context have been verified, which were spread by politicians and election stakeholders. The report also refers to conspiracies around COVID-19. The conspiracies spread by the politicians (Alliance of Patriots, Georgian Idea, Zviad Tomaradze), concerned the non-existence of the virus and threats related to vaccination.
MDF names the topic of David Gareja Monastery Complex as the most influential discrediting campaign that had been launched by the government ahead of the parliamentary elections against the opposition parties. Discrediting campaign related to David Gareji Monastery Complex, which is located on the disputed section of the Georgian-Azerbaijani state border, served the purpose of spreading the information that "the previous government sold Davit Gareji monastery to Azerbaijan."
“The campaign promoted a narrative that opponents are selling churches and homeland, while the government is neutralizing threats. The campaign was accompanied by a criminal investigation launched based on topographic maps provided by businessmen with close ties to Russian intelligence services,” reads the report.
During the reporting period, MDF also observed fake news on social media against political and other stakeholders. The monitoring has revealed that besides disinformation spread by politicians, 31 other pieces of disinformation were revealed. The largest share (16) was against opposition and eight against the Georgian Dream. The study has also detected 4 cases of disinformation and manipulative content is spread in support of the ruling Georgian Dream. Two pieces of fake information were spread against the US Ambassador and one- by a Georgian Trump-supporting page against Joe Biden. As the monitoring has revealed, the most common form was the falsification of quotes also spreading fabricated posts/documents and photo/video manipulations.
