Fake news threat to Europe’s elections

With major elections coming up in France, Germany, the Netherlands and possibly Italy, Europe is preparing for a campaign of cyberattacks and misinformation similar to that seen in the recent U.S. election

Almost two-in-three American adults say fake news stories caused a great deal of confusion during election campaign*

Great deal of confusion 64%

Some confusion 24%

Not much / no confusion 11%

Nov 2016 – U.S. election: Fake news attacks against Hillary Clinton surge on Facebook.
CIA claims that GRU – Russia’s military intelligence agency – used hacking group APT28 to spread
hoax news backing Donald Trump (above). More than 100 fake U.S. news sites traced to Veles in Macedonia

KOSOVO
Skopje
MACEDONIA
Veles
ALBANIA
SERBIA
GREECE
50km

Dec 2016 – Italy referendum: Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (left) loses referendum and
resigns, in clear victory to populist Five Star Movement led by Beppe Grillo (inset left).
Fact-checking site Pagella Politica finds that half of most popular referendum stories shared on social media were fake news

Mar 15, 2017 – Netherlands general election: Polls put Geert Wilders (inset right) and his anti-Islam PVV ahead of centre-right party of Prime Minister Mark Rutte (right).  Loss of 2016 referendum on EU treaty with Ukraine is blamed on Kremlin propaganda over downing of Flight MH17

Apr 23 – France presidential election: Marine Le Pen (inset left), leader of far-right National Front is expected to make it to run-off against centre-right Republican François Fillon (left). Republican front-runner Alain Juppé lost primary after fake stories falsely linked him to Islamic extremists

Sep-Oct – Germany federal election: Centre-right Christian Democratic Party led by Angela Merkel (right) faces challenge from Alternative for Germany – right-wing party led by Frauke Petry (inset right). German security agency BfV has warned that Chancellor Merkel is target of Kremlin
misinformation campaign. Government threatens to fine Facebook €500,000 every time it shows fake news

*Pew Research Center survey conducted Dec 1-Dec 4, 2016, among 1,002 U.S. adults, 18 years
of age or older. Margin of error: ±3.6%. Sources: Pew Research, Politico, Buzzfeed,

Pagella Politica, The Atlantic
Pictures: Associated Press