Meta has dismantled a covert influence operation originating from China, removing 18 fake Facebook accounts, along with two pages, four groups, and five Instagram accounts. These accounts were part of a coordinated effort to spread false information about the Dalai Lama and undermine his credibility, particularly among Tibetan exile communities in India, Nepal, and Bhutan.

According to Meta’s Fourth Quarter 2024 Adversarial Threat Report, the operation extended beyond Facebook and Instagram, leveraging other platforms such as X and Blogspot. Many of these fake accounts were detected and disabled by Meta’s automated systems even before the investigation began.

The individuals behind the operation used proxy IPs to disguise their origins, making it appear as though they were based in India, Nepal, or Bhutan. One fake account impersonated a journalist in Arunachal Pradesh, while others posed as Tibetan expatriates, primarily resharing anti-Dalai Lama content and promoting conspiracy theories about his health and travels.

The disinformation campaign, conducted in both English and Tibetan, pushed narratives critical of the Dalai Lama and suggested that the United States was using him as a tool against China. Responding to the report, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu dismissed Meta’s findings, claiming they misrepresented facts. Liu reiterated China’s stance that Tibet is an internal matter and accused the Dalai Lama of engaging in separatist activities.

Meanwhile, Tibetan exile leaders and experts have urged caution. Tenzin Lekshay, a spokesperson for the Dharamsala-based Central Tibetan Administration, welcomed Meta’s investigation and encouraged Tibetans to stay vigilant against online accounts aimed at sowing division. Sriparna Pathak, an associate professor of China studies at O.P. Jindal Global University, noted that China has long used social media for disinformation and has now incorporated AI-driven strategies to further its agenda. Lobsang Gyatso Sither, Director of Technology at the Tibet Action Institute, emphasized that Meta’s findings provide concrete evidence of Chinese interference in Tibetan exile communities.

Meta’s latest investigation was triggered by a review of previous activities linked to disinformation networks it dismantled in 2023. At that time, the company had removed 12 accounts and seven groups targeting Tibet and the Arunachal Pradesh region. In the latest wave of enforcement, Meta found that about 2,400 accounts followed the now-removed Facebook pages, while 120 accounts joined the deleted groups, and 100 followed the removed Instagram accounts. Meta stated that it dismantled the network before it could establish a significant influence within authentic online communities.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.