Facebook removes inauthentic assets connected to Georgian far-right group Alt-Info
Tags: Politics, Facebook, Government, Georgia, Social Media

On October 23, 2020, Facebook removed 130 assets linked to Alt-Info, a Georgian far-right group that used the platform to distribute partisan and anti-Western content. The DFRLab’s analysis of these assets showed that Alt-Info was using an inauthentic network of Facebook accounts, groups, and pages to disseminate its content. Facebook previously removed Alt-Info assets in 2019, but, despite the setback, Alt-Info created new Facebook pages and expanded this distribution network.

The latest Facebook takedown took place one week before the October 31 parliamentary elections in Georgia in which several far-right parties ran for seats in the next parliament. The ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory, with the Central Election Commission determining that it had received 48.07 percent of the votes, well above the 27.12 percent given to the United National Movement, the largest opposition party. The results, however, triggered protests and led the eight opposition parties to declare that they would boycott the parliament.

In its announcement, Facebook stated:

This network used fake accounts to post and comment on their own content to make it appear more popular than it was, and manage Pages, some of which posed as independent from one another. Some of these Pages have gone through significant admin changes and appear to have been purchased. This network focused primarily on amplifying and engaging with Alt-Info’s Page and its content, and commenting on local news media Pages. This network posted primarily in Georgian about news and current events in the country including EU and Russian politics, Georgian parliamentary election in 2020, political figures, criticism of local media and liberal politicians such as representatives of European Georgia party, immigrants, minorities and LGBTQ communities. Some of this activity included posting hate speech and information rated false by independent fact-checkers in Georgia.

Background

In November 2018, Alt-Info announced the creation of an internet television channel to oppose “liberal propaganda” in Georgia by providing a conservative viewpoint about ongoing events in the country.

Georgian fact-checking organizations have reported many times that Alt-Info spreads manipulative information and promotes biased viewpoints; it also disseminates false information. Alt-Info pushes anti-Western messages and frequently promotes anti-immigration discourse. On top of this, it frequently puts forward pro-Russian narratives that are fully in line with the Kremlin’s strategic goals toward Georgia.

The DFRLab previously reported that Alt-Info tried to fuel anti-LGBT sentiments in Georgia in the context of 2019’s Tbilisi Pride event. Alt-Info TV presenter Zurab Makharadze argued that his organization is openly spreading anti-liberal, anti-immigration, and anti-LGBT narratives because it is an official position of Alt-Info as a conservative group that has nothing to hide.

In August 2020, ISFED published a report about Facebook assets spreading Alt-Info content. After ISFED’s report, Radio Free Europe’s Georgian bureau contacted Makharadze to ask whether the assets were linked to Alt-Info. Makharadze confirmed that some of the Facebook pages were run by Alt-Info, but others identified were unrelated but supportive of Alt-Info.

LTD Alt-Info and Alternative for Georgia

The legal entity behind Alt-Info is LTD Alt-Info, which registered with Georgia’s National Agency of Public Registry on January 28, 2019. LTD Alt-Info is owned equally by Shota Martinenko and Tsiala Morgoshia. Martinenko is a board member of “Alternative for Georgia,” a non-commercial legal entity connected to Alt-Info.

Zurab Makharadze is also a board member of Alternative for Georgia board, along with Konstantine Morgoshia, Shota Martinenko, Irakli Kizilashvili, and Giorgi Kardava. Morgoshia’s investment company, the Konstantine Investment Group, has a logo featured prominently on the Alt-info.com website. Morgoshia was previously a member of pro-Kremlin Alliance of Patriots of Georgia party and was also affiliated with extremist pro-Russian Georgian March party members. Other members of Alternative for Georgia were presenters on Alt-Info’s TV channel. Facebook removed individual accounts of all these individuals as well as their accounts on Instagram.