Dissecting Global Disinformation: Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea

This episode of 'Propaganda Loves You' delves into the origins and mechanics of disinformation and propaganda by examining the tactics used by Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Hosts Kodie, Arthur, and Joe discuss various strategies for spreading disinformation, including high-volume content, fake news sites, AI-generated material, and covert social media campaigns. The script provides detailed insights into the sources of this disinformation, such as the Hudson Institute, Merrick Institute, Graphica, and the Atlantic Council, and addresses the potential societal impacts of AI in this evolving landscape. The episode concludes by discussing the implications of AI deregulation on disinformation campaigns and underscores the urgent need for regulatory measures.

00:00 Introduction and Hosts

00:37 Main Topic: Global Disinformation

01:25 Focus on China: Sources and Strategies

05:43 China's Covert and Overt Tactics

13:08 China's Discourse Power and TikTok Controversy

20:11 Iran's Regional Propaganda Efforts

24:09 Iran's Disinformation Tactics

24:42 Iran's Cyber Activities

25:17 Iran's Ideological Disinformation

26:15 Discussion on Foreign Influence

30:28 North Korea's Internal Propaganda

34:33 North Korea's Cyber Operations

39:40 The Future of AI in Disinformation

44:55 Conclusion and Next Steps

References on Chinese Disinformation

Bond, S. (2023, April 21). Twitter strips 'state-affiliated' and 'government-funded' labels from some media. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2023/04/21/1171236695/twitter-strips-state-affiliated-government-funded-labels-from-npr-rt-china

Cadell, C. (2020, March 13). China spokesman says U.S. army might have brought coronavirus to Wuhan. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/china-government-spokesman-says-us-army-might-have-brought-virus-to-china-idUSKBN20Z2HJ

Davidson, H. (2021, January 20). China revives conspiracy theory of US army link to Covid. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/20/china-revives-conspiracy-theory-of-us-army-link-to-covid

Drinhausen, K., Legarda, H., Chimits, F., Vigneron, N., Gunter, J., & Alia, K. (2023, December 14). Image control: How China struggles for discourse power. MERICS. Retrieved from https://merics.org/en/report/image-control-how-china-struggles-discourse-power

Graphika. (2019, September). Spamouflage: How an Inauthentic Pro-Chinese Network Evolved to Target the Xinjiang Critic Adrian...