Slovak Parliamentary Election 2020: Liberalism As a Threat, Facebook As a Battlefield GLOBSEC

Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Liberalism as a threat, Facebook as a battlefield Slovak parliamentary election 2020: Liberalism as a threat, Facebook as a battlefield GLOBSEC

FB pages with problematic Table of content received half a million contents interactions More on the page 10 04 Introduction Who was 06 Key findings accused of election 08 Recommendations interference? for Facebook, national & EU authorities More on the page 12 10 Whose posts received the most interactions? Stories 12 Popular narratives promoting the far-right Election interference extremist ĽSNS 16 party were winning on open FB groups systematically shared on FB 20 Content amplification pages and on Facebook groups 22 Role of Facebook More on the page 20 in the Elections 18 24 Authors and methodology Facebook measures were highly inadequate Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary

More on the page 22 2 3 Slovak parliamentary election 2020: Liberalism as a threat, Facebook as a battlefield GLOBSEC Online battlefield

he period of election For five months prior to the campaigning is naturally elections held on February 29, Tcharacterised by fighting. 2020, the analysts from the Fighting occurring between team of GLOBSEC’s Strategic political parties, its leaders, Communication Programme candidates and their supporters, monitored the online information all of it for gaining more voters space. The monitoring results fall in and consequent power. While line with a growing global trend of in an ideal, rational world, the divisive, harmful and manipulative debate should be focused on narratives being spread on the programme, solutions and websites and social platforms. policies, the real world—full of As a result, we are witnessing an emotions and feelings—is more increasing polarisation, hatred about accusations, attacks and the against, and attacks on, different alienation of specific individuals groups of society, mainly the and groups in society. advocates for liberal principles, the representatives of standard media Elections in Slovakia have become and civil society. strongly influenced by these fights. Elections in Slovakia thus What had been previously often become a battlefield in considered as an absurd debate which many political actors select at the fringes of the political an (often imaginary) opponent spectrum has now become widely portrayed as an alleged threat to debated on TV. Liberalism has the country or nation. The political been labelled as “perverted”, discourse and electoral campaign “threatening”, “fascist” and is thus often a survival game of “us “alien to Slovakia”. Flooding the versus them”. information space with divisive and harmful narratives undermining the In the mid-2010s, it was the very basis of democratic systems supposed threat coming from and values securing fundamental migration. Earlier, in the 2000s, rights and freedoms has become it was the Hungarian and Roma the new normal in the 2020 minorities. Today, it is liberalism. Slovak Parliamentary election. The distribution of forces in the Building upon a larger newly elected parliament hints phenomenon of rising illiberalism that these trends will not fade in the region and beyond, these away, although the recent change elections have witnessed the of the government provides an phenomenon of antisystem opportunity to revive decency. narratives taking a firm foothold However, no transformative in Slovak mainstream political change will be possible without discourse. FB’s stepping up its efforts.

Facebook (FB) was at the core of this phenomenon and thus played an important role in this debate, allowing the antisystem actors to

Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary flood the information space with election 2020 Slovak parliamentary divisive and harmful narratives, while incapable of securing the compliance with FB’s own 4 community standards. 5 Slovak parliamentary election 2020: Liberalism as a threat, Facebook as a battlefield GLOBSEC Key findings

#1 #4 The rise in support for the The key target of the attacks far-right extremist ĽSNS in the coming from the problematic polls and elections was also sources was “liberalism”. #5 evident on the internet. ĽSNS An effect of the systematic #3 was the most-mentioned During the election promotion of the “liberalism An important role in the pre- party on the most-viral campaigning, FB was not as a threat” narrative by election campaign was played posts by both standard and capable of securing a unified the problematic side of the by webpages and FB pages problematic sources within implementation of rules to information spectrum is the and groups that promoted the five months of monitoring. increase the transparency transition of the attempts to #2 the interests of particular of political advertising and undermine liberal democracy The most popular theme political parties but without compliance with their own as the most appropriate on open FB groups sharing any official attribution. As community standards. political system for Slovakia problematic content was the such, they developed an The establishment of an (with the help of key political warning against potential elaborate web of supporters independent Slovak fact- officials) into the mainstream election interference. A range and content amplifiers who checker a few weeks prior to political discourse. of actors were accused of systematically and repeatedly the elections had no effect alleged interference and thus shared specific narratives. on the amount of problematic demonised on the platform, content spread on FB. from NGOs to opinion poll agencies to media to the so- called “liberals”. Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary

6 7 Slovak parliamentary election 2020: Liberalism as a threat, Facebook as a battlefield GLOBSEC Recommendations for Facebook,

national & EU #4

Develop a complaint system for cases when authorities social media fail in removal of content sharing hate speech, extremism or targeted bullying of individuals. The complaints #1 should be promptly taken over by relevant state Create a designated and EU institutions with contact/office for each competences to issue a EU member state, which financial penalisation of the will be responsible for: social media platform for such a) communication with failures. state institutions, delivery #6 of comprehensive databases about political #3 Provide reasoning behind advertisements, as well as any account deletion or reported and deleted content; Accelerate and increase the post removal to prevent the b) posting advance notice effectiveness of the removal spread of conspiracies about of planned modifications to of problematic content Facebook censorship. In addition, we fully endorse the community standards on reported to Facebook by a #2 recommendations put forward by the a specific social medium verified trusted flagger. EEAS for the implementation of the in order to consult with Ensure the enforcement #5 Action Plan Against Disinformation, relevant authorities about the of rules that secure the Hire more local experts such as the development of a proposed modifications prior transparency of targeted to oversee the quality of system of indicators determining the to their implementation. ads and thus increase the users’ awareness. At the same content-moderation and trustworthiness of individual websites time, task Facebook with provide data about the in cooperation with media to help the automatic and regular competency to resolve internet users distinguish between delivery of information about individual cases to trustful and distrustful content, as well all paid ads to national independent institutions as the employment of independent institutions supervising and analysts for auditing auditing of the functioning of the financing of political purposes. algorithms. campaigns. Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary

8 9 Standard vs. problematic content GLOBSEC

Total interactions of the most viral content across the online information space, from Who went October 2019 to March 2020.1

1 Five-months monitoring period was divided into three rounds of data collection- October 1 – November 15, 2019; November 16, 2019 – January 26, 2020 and January 27 – March 2, 2020. For each monitoring period, we analysed a database of up to 250 entries based on the highest number of interactions on Facebook. After merging them we arrived at a total number of interactions viral? for each category.

312,351 FB pages of standard media outlets

Facebook pages

Websites

539,323 FB pages with problematic content

407,911 Websites with problematic content 24,539 This is big, my friends! This is a bomb! interactions WHAT WAS OĽANO’S CAR DOING IN FRONT OF THE AMERICAN RESIDENCE? I just received a picture of Trnava self-governing The post with the highest number region’s car which is under the political control of of interactions belonged to Ľuboš OĽaNO... See more ebsites of standard Blaha, MP for SMER-SD, whose media have the highest long posts are often based on Wreach on FB and “whataboutism” and use belittling, governing region is Jozef Viskupič, maintain their role of being a key ad hominem attacks. a member of OĽaNO). Based on source of information with more 1,238,238 this parked car, Blaha went as far than a million overall interactions Standard media websites His most popular post was as to blame the party’s leader, Igor in five months. The reach of the published just after the election Matovič, of selling out Slovakia to websites with problematic content and links the parking of the Trnava the Americans and voiced alarmist amounts only to 30% of the reach self-governing region’s car in expressions such as “there’s a

Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary of standard media. However, the front of the residence of the US real threat that right-wingers will election 2020 Slovak parliamentary dynamics is different for FB pages. Ambassador in Bratislava with a change Slovakia to the American Problematic FB pages receive by supposed US influence on the fifth column.” He continued to 73% more interactions than FB election’s winner, the OĽaNO develop this narrative in a number 10 pages of standard media. party (the head of Trnava’s self- of his post-election posts. 11 Narratives GLOBSEC

Narratives shared across the information space

45 Mainstream media websites 40

Popular 10

Websites with 5 Mainstream problematic media FB narratives content pages

he Slovak 2020 Andrej Danko, Former Speaker Parliamentary election of the Slovak Parliament Twas highly anticipated; many experts and politicians „Let’s make FB pages with Problematic made parallels to the excitement sure that problematic content groups on FB and anticipation around the 1998 election marking the end liberal of Vladimír Mečiar’s rule in the democracy, country. The 2020 election, which is however, took place in a markedly Liberalism as a threat Election Interference Conspiracies Oligarchs different environment shaping the destroying Facebook pages with electoral campaign and public our beloved member of ĽSNS, Nov 13, 2019 FB page with more than 37,000 likes, outlet with problematic content, MP for SMER-SD, Oct 30, 2019 about discourse by promoting narratives Slovakia, problematic content Oct 29, 2019 Feb 26, 2020 the Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová undermining democratic processes won’t win.“ share most of the “A very important “There is no worse “American interference “Oligarch’s rag from the and institutions. These narratives election is ahead of us election interference into Slovak elections? presidential palace” were almost exclusively used in polarising narratives now, in which it will than the manipulation Facebook three days the problematic spectrum of the inserted into the mainstream be decided whether of public opinion ahead of the election information space, i.e. FB pages discourse and contributes to in the infospace. Slovakia will be through polls.” cancelled Kulturblog MP for SMER-SD, Oct 30, 2019 and open groups with problematic demonising liberal parties in the controlled by liberal and other pages, which content specifically. Slovak political landscape, as well extremists… whether are allegedly linked to “Opinion poll surveys as to blocking laws and legislation in 10 – 15 years we outlet with problematic content, ĽSNS” The primary target of the attacks seeking to guarantee human will have a hoard of Oct 16, 2019 are not a human right but a means was liberalism and the liberal- rights and freedoms in Slovakia. A migrants, LGBT and “Facebook censors of manipulation by democratic system. The narrative classic example of this narrative’s gender ideology here“ candidate for Vlasť, Feb 15, 2020 the page of Slobodný oligarchs.” that liberalism poses an “existential effect is influential public figures vysielač (Free threat” has been systematically challenging the notion of liberal Broadcaster). We “AKO [polling] agency promoted on the problematic democracy as the most suitable candidate for Vlasť, Nov 21, 2019 suddenly became got ultraliberal Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary spectrum of the information political system for the Slovak invisible to people. Get Čaputová into the palace election 2020 Slovak parliamentary space, particularly since the Republic. “Kotleba3 is not my ready everyone who through the opinion presidential election in 20192. enemy. My enemies are is warning against the polls. Now they are Ever since then, this antisystem 2 https://www.globsec.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ ultraliberal perverts.” election interference!” trying in it again” 3 Marian Kotleba is a leader of the far-right extremist narrative has been successfully Presidential-Election-Monitoring-report-SK.pdf 12 ĽSNS party 13 Narratives GLOBSEC Inciting fear of liberals and media on Facebook pages Liberalism as a threat

A surprisingly large scale of motherhood.” (MP for SMER-SD, elements characterising liberal Nov 11, 2019), or “The common democracy4 were under attack, goal of our parties is to stop the Ultraliberal democracy: This is how progressive liberals teach sexual from the respect for the rights rise of liberal totality and protect education for 9-year old kids. So, if a boy has a willy, he can be a and freedoms of all, including traditional values and Slovak woman, no problem. According to progressives. Now imagine that minorities, to undermining the homeland also for our children” liberals would win elections in Slovakia. [sent by Miška]. rule-of-law and the functioning of (member of ĽSNS, Nov 13, 2019). In a representative system through both cases, liberalism is portrayed elections. as a totalitarian ideology which is in conflict with human nature. Election Narratives, such as the one Another efficient form of claiming that liberalism is a discrediting liberalism as a “foreign”’ ideology artificially legitimate part of the political implanted to destroy “traditional spectrum is associating liberalism Slovak society” and, as such, with sexual deviations and the needs to be perceived as an targeted portrayal of sexual interference existential threat, have been minorities as embodiments of systematically promoted through these depravities. Liberalism is the problematic spectrum of the allegedly not advancing equality Slovak information space and have for discriminated individuals but seeped into mainstream political for the perverted normalisation discourse. This narrative echoes of sexual deviances with the goal Post by Informácie bez cenzúry (Information without Censorship) Page dominant the Kremlin’s internal and external of destroying “traditional Slovak which attempts to portray liberalism as sexual perversion. It was shared political strategy to portray “liberal society”. over 2,300 times. machinery” as the new enemy, apparent since 20115.

4 Defined as a “democracy based on the recognition of In the first half of November, 2019, individual rights and freedoms, in which decisions from on FB groups direct or representative processes prevail in many policy posts containing expressions such areas” in https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/ as “Today, Čaputová definitely english/liberal-democracy or “A democratic system of government in which individual rights and freedoms are confirmed that she is a neoliberal officially recognized and protected, and the exercise of political power is limited by the rule of law.” in https:// extremist, which should be tried www.lexico.com/definition/liberal_democracy. pen FB groups represent warned against possible election

for scorning the people and 5 T. Snyder, Cesta do Neslobody, p.100 (Premedia, 2018) a special monitoring interference. Ocategory since they serve as an accessible space for FB users Suggesting that the electoral to create and share content with process in Slovakia is manipulated like-minded users. Therefore, a and cannot be trusted has first-hand observation of how the similarly been deployed to exploit so-called “echo chambers”, i.e., an existing vulnerability – an Mainstream media that cannot be trusted opinion bubbles which users seek already low level of trust by Slovak out to confirm their own world citizens in democratic institutions7, The role of the media in Slovakia’s Prime Minister, Robert Fico’s views, are formed and function is strengthened by the killings of the

democratic society continued quote, in which he described Vlasť party candidate, Dec 18, 2019 possible in these groups. Since the investigative journalist Ján Kuciak to be attacked and undermined journalists as “filthy anti-Slovak content of these posts is created and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, as well. The private “liberal prostitutes”6. Reminiscent of “Corrupted political elite and politically by users themselves, FB groups in February 2018. This narrative media” allegedly controlled by Donald Trump’s treatment of controlled and appointed judges and are also a hub for personal attacks has been actively promoted since oligarchs and large financial reporters and journalists, attacking prosecutors are trying to change our homeland on politicians, emotional and even the 2019 presidential election and groups were also portrayed on the journalists in Slovakia represents to dictatorship and totality. And they are aggressive expressions, as well as was built upon during the electoral mushrooming number of web and a systematic effort to delegitimise efficiently assisted by the oligarchs-bought hateful and divisive narratives. The campaign prior to the 2020 FB pages with problematic content factual information without which liberal press. They do it gradually, in a stealthy trending theme of monitored open parliamentary election. Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary as untrustworthy, working for the no liberal democracy based on the and creepy way. Step by step. They think we are FB groups were the accusations election 2020 Slovak parliamentary interest of the elite and against rule-of-law can properly function. by individuals or larger groups frogs which can be boiled without us noticing. “the people”. This concerted attack of Slovak society about election But we will not accept it!” on journalism is a long-term trend interference. Of all analysed 7 https://www.noviny.sk/slovensko/510799-slovaci- 6 https://medialne.etrend.sk/tlac/fico-niektori-novinari- neveria-svojim-instituciam-dovera-v-policiu-je-u-nas- 14 in Slovakia, epitomised in former su-spinave-protislovenske-prostitutky.html posts on open FB groups, 20% dokonca-najmensia-z-celej-eu 15 Content in Facebook groups GLOBSEC Who allegedly interferes 3. Oligarchs controlling everything

in the election? 13 A typical example of linking various defamation. In February 2020, a actors with the aim of portraying court ordered Mr. Blaha to delete them as conspiring in the electoral all his FB posts and videos that October 19, 2020 process is the case of a world- mentioned ESET. Už mal sedieť v base. Odporný, known Slovak IT security company, úlisný, falošný, úžernícky ksicht. Samozrejme, všetku tú liberálnu ESET, whose key representatives Below is a typical example of zberbu kisku, trubana, skládku 1. openly support political parties hate speech and ad hominem a ďalších platí pakáž eset. and projects fostering liberal attacks shared on FB groups. Even ovplyvňuje voľby a spolupracuje so zahraničnými tajnými službami. Opinion poll agencies democracy in Slovakia. Andrej Kiska, the former President A potĺka sa tu grázel nicholson. Je and leader of party the Za ľudí fakt že ten hnoj riadne zostarol. A operácia nejakéh toho jeho An important theme discussed in Slovak Republic ruled that the from the President of Slovakia One of the common and malign (For People), was accused of z.aného srdca, ktoré mu nejako relation to election interference law would not be applicable in to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, stories was that the company collaborating with ESET. “He was náhodne našli...myslím že dlho was the attempt to ban public the upcoming parliamentary was accused of supporting January 8, 2020 providing malware and antivirus meant to sit in prison a long time nepotiahne. opinion polls on political elections, the Court has yet to or contributing to the alleged Public opinion poll agency Focus protection software supposedly ago. Repugnant, slimy, deceitful, linked to the president’s advisor preferences 50 days ahead of the take a final decision on whether election interference. and an attempt to manipulate established a backdoor into usury face. Of course, all that election. The former ruling party, the moratorium is unconstitutional elections? What do Čaputová, the computers of the election liberal trash Kiska, Truban, dump SMER – SD, in tandem with the and violates citizens’ rights to Bútorová and Focus have in committee which it could later and others are paid by the vermin common? far-right extremist party, Kotleba – information8. The argument that 8 https://domov.sme.sk/c/22286688/50-dnove- use to manipulate the results in ESET. It interferes in the election moratorium-zatial-nebude-rozhodol-ustavny-sud.html Former President Kiska: Secret meeting with the owner of ESET ĽSNS (People’s Party Our Slovakia), the publication of these polls favour of liberal political parties. and cooperates with foreign secret Ordinary meeting or is he looking for sponsors?

passed a law forbidding the represents the manipulation of This narrative was disseminated, services. And the roughneck 148 125 Comments 65 Shares publication of public opinion polls elections from abroad was based among others, also by SMER-SD’s Nicholson is roaming around. It’s 50 days ahead of the election, on the premise that opinion poll Ľuboš Blaha, claiming, for example, a fact that the dung has aged a

supposedly in order to prevent agencies themselves, or those who that “ESET could be influencing lot. And surgery of somebody’s 10 https://www.facebook.com/LBlaha/ 10 posts/2542483942656836 the spread of false information. order these polls, are paid from the elections” that “we can calmly f****d heart, which they found on 11 https://www.facebook.com/LBlaha/ This law was subsequently foreign sources. Subsequently, and expertly speak about the ESET him somehow... I think he won’t posts/2543479642557266 12 https://www.facebook.com/LBlaha/ challenged by President Čaputová everyone who was not in favour as about oligarchs”11 and that “the last long” (user’s post from 19th posts/2543479642557266 13 https://domov.sme.sk/c/22162363/esetu-dosla- as unconstitutional. While the of the ban and later not in favour company ESET was labelled by October 2019)14 trpezlivost-na-blahu-podal-zalobu.html 14 163 98 Comments 60 Shares The “dump” in the post refers to current Slovak Constitutional Court of the of the moratorium’s cancellation, Russian MFA as linked to American President, Mrs Čaputová. Prior to her political career, 12 as an advocate she fought against illegal dumping secret services” . of wastage in Pezinok, for which she was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize. In the antisystem communities, this achievement is often used against her. ESET vehemently denied such accusations and launched a legal 2. proceeding against Blaha for NGOs

Other identified culprits of this repeated theme not only ahead alleged interference were meant of the election. Cases when an Alarmist messaging to be NGOs, which by way of NGO comments on the electoral January 19, 2020 receiving grants from abroad process or starts an initiative to I recommend watching this... Election interference posts in supposedly act on behalf of vague, increase voter turnout often elicit open FB groups were often of foreign (typically U.S.) interests. It a reaction in the form of attacks an alarming character aiming to October 19, 2020 thus serves two purposes: first, it against the organisation and its mobilise and influence voters. demonises an important watchdog key representatives. Warning! We urgently demand the Statistical of democracy, i.e. civil society and One of the most popular posts Office exclude ESSET, at NGOs “WE WILL DECIDE” the elections election control, attention second, it portrays a NATO ally, i.e., WE WILL DECIDE” will not allow themes such as nation, homeland, family... shared in a number of groups, 9 fraud and manipulation, the U.S.A., as an enemy. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/11/ was a post about the ESET just like at presidential russia-four-years-of-putins-foreign-agents-law-to- 15 4 Comments 291 Shares 15 shackle-and-silence-ngos/ company originally published election! A law which stipulates that NGOs on a FB group called, I vote for 141 18 Comments 1,089 Shares receiving grants from abroad User’s post suggesting a Harabin, by a person with a closed need to register as foreign agents conspiracy of election interference account. The original post had

was passed in Russia already in of the Slovak branch of the Open 1119 shares and was reshared into 15 ESET is a successful Slovak software company whose antivirus products are sold worldwide. The post 2012 in an effort to demonise and Society Foundation, a network different groups (such asI don’t suggests that somehow this company is conspiring prosecute civil society. Similar laws of NGOs originally founded by trust ex-president Kiska, nor I to manipulate the elections and the double use of the letter ‘s’ in the post is deliberately used to refer to

Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary were proposed in Central Europe. George Soros. trust president Čaputová or FOR the infamous Adolf Hitler’s paramilitary organisation, election 2020 Slovak parliamentary Schutzstaffel. SLOVAK SOVEREIGNTY, AGAINST Financing of NGOs from abroad NATO BASES) 35 times and overall, that is interpreted as foreign its message reached over 64,000 16 interference has been an often- people. 17 Content amplification on Facebook 88 GLOBSEC Content amplification unique users were exposed to this Magazín 1 article

The majority of the parties Magazín 1 articles contained to assess whether the active users pages and open groups. In this campaigned via their official positive reference to the ĽSNS are true supporters or trolls. article, it is possible to observe the verified FB pages, supported with party. tactic of information-laundering on Facebook public accounts and pages of the Such interconnected ecosystems and an attempt to reinstate the party representatives. Another example of using FB for allowed the parties to spread party’s own narrative by resharing 1800 content amplification were open the same message and articles the article multiple times within However, different strategies were FB groups, characterised mostly by effectively throughout the the three-month timeframe. See how a Magazín 1 story promoting adopted by Kotleba’s ĽSNS that titles associated with nationalism, observed time period and to steadily developed an ecosystem traditional values or anti-liberalism. amplify their narratives to various The article also includes a the extremist ĽSNS was shared consisting of a wide variety While the groups serve as a users at different locations and at reference to a recording of 1600 of FB pages, open and closed platform for the users to act as different times. Kotleba’s speech from one of the groups. This network was further content contributors, we spotted town rally meetings of ĽSNS with Magazín 1, January 17, 2020 supported by older or freshly a large number of dedicated users An exemplary case of efforts to more than 800,000 views on established outlets, posing as re-sharing the same content on frame the discussion and push FB. This demonstrates another

1400 neutral news websites with names multiple groups in order to amplify through a specific narrative about effective example of content such as Magazín 1 (Magazine 1) or their reach and message. Except the far-right party was an article amplification. Prehľad Správ (News Overview) for sharing specific narratives, the “Calling Kotleba fascist shows FB page that were not openly associated Vlasť (Homeland) party, with its little expertise and naive faith in Web and FB pages which with the party. Investigative leader Štefan Harabin, a former stupidity” that reacted to anti- promoted the interests of the party 1200 journalists, however, revealed the judge, head of the Supreme Court extremist activities of civil society without official attribution played Marian Kotleba – direct connections and influence of the Slovak Republic, Minister and some political representatives an important role in the electoral candidate for the President of the of these and other similar outlets of Justice, and an unsuccessful in Slovakia. The article had more campaign. All in all, the article Calling Kotleba fascist shows Slovak Republic to the ĽSNS party. While openly candidate in 2019’s presidential than 20,000 FB interactions and reached more than 146,000 unique little expertise and naive faith promoting the ĽSNS party and elections, enjoyed the highest was one of the most-viral articles FB users. 1000 its narratives, articles from these support in these groups. 45% of within the whole monitoring in stupidity outlets were also systematically all positive party mentions on FB period. shared by the ecosystem of FB groups belonged to Vlasť, double pages affiliated with the party.76% that of ĽSNS. Due to the privacy During January and February of monitored election-related restrictions, however, it is difficult of 2020, it was shared on 46 FB 800

FB page

600 Mário Vidák - Blog

FB page FB group 400 Kotleba – People’s Referendum about Party Our Slovakia, removing Zuzana Žilina and Bytča Čaputová from regions the Office of the President of the 200 Slovak Republic Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary

18 Jan 17, 2020 Jan 18, 2020 Jan 22, 2020 Feb 15, 2020 Feb 16, 2020 Feb 17, 2020 Feb 20, 2020 19 Role of Facebook GLOBSEC Blocking of FB pages

A visible attempt by FB to enforce helped to promote the ĽSNS setting up new ones. Instead of its transparency measures and party without any official party Kulturblog, a new page, Portál remove the content breaching attribution. Until the pages Kulturblog with more than 11,000 them was the blockage of several admitted the party attribution, fans was running in March. This FB pages associated with ĽSNS they would stay removed, claimed page was set up on the same day party. On February 26, 2020, FB FB.17 None of the mentioned pages FB decided to remove the original blocked seven pages, including were running until the publication KulturBlog. Magazín 1 runs under two pages of Kulturblog and the of this report. the name Svet Politiky (World of pages of Magazín 1 and Prehlad Politics). Neither of these pages Správ. The removed pages’ response, admit their direct relationship with however, was the creation of ĽSNS. FB was thus repeatedly not The decision was based on FB’s their own alternatives, either by able to secure compliance with conclusion that these pages renaming existing pages, or by their own rules and transparency measures.

17 https://dennikn.sk/1773184/facebook-zrusil-kulturblog- Role a-dalsie-stranky-ktore-pomahali-kotlebovcom-v- of Faceb ook in kampani/

The reporting of problematic supposed Hungarian and Jewish Slovak daily, Denník N (Daily N) content breaching FB rules and origin. The post has been reported published an article with evidence the reasons behind the decisions several times without any result. of reporting 74 fake accounts the elections to remove (or not) individual FB The reporting of fake accounts or and FB’s subsequent reaction in pages or posts are not transparent. bots on FB is similarly problematic taking down only seven18. On the A user reporting problematic and the accounts concerned can other hand, some FB pages and content to FB administrators freely continue to shape public accounts have been removed usually only receives a generic discourse, creating the impression without a clear explanation. Large amount Fact-checking message about the reported of a strong support base for a content not breaching FB candidate, party or a cause, as

community standards. This well as amplifying specific content. 18 https://dennikn.sk/941955/upozornili-sme-facebook- includes cases of online bullying Already, in November 2017, the na-vyse-70-falosnych-profilov-reakcia-adminov-bola- of problematic in practice velmi-zla/ or hate speech based on an The fact-checker is supposed ball above a railroad track, and the alleged or factual ethnic identity or content to identify false news and second a false map of an alleged belonging to a particular opinion disinformation that should concentration of sulfur dioxide group. he data shows that extent, on independent fact- subsequently be less visible on above the Chinese city of Wuhan, the largest amount checkers. A Slovak fact-checker users’ FB News Feeds. These are where the outbreak of COVID-19 An example of such reported Tof disinformation and was established only a few weeks collected on a dedicated AFP originated. Given the extensive content is a video from the FB problematic content in Slovakia prior to the election. French website for Slovakia fakty.afp. amount of harmful and malign page, Planéta Jednoduchosť is spread on FB. The platform Press Agency (AFP) has been com listing the examples of posts content, attacks and conspiracies (Planet Simplicity), entitled, blbec.online currently monitors assigned as a responsible entity shared on Slovak FB labelled that have been shared on the “Problems of a Hungarian Jew”, over 1550 FB pages and groups, for fact-checking in Slovakia and as false. One month after the platform prior to the 2020 aiming to defame the Slovak most of which spread problematic has only one Slovak-speaking February 11, 2020 launch of the parliamentary election, the gravity journalist, Arpad Soltesz, for his or manipulative content.16 Many person dedicated for this role for service, the page had only two and destructive potential of these of the pages do have official a country with around 2.7 million examples of false information two cases is questionable. Our attribution to political parties, active users. We consider this identified by AFP’s fact-checker. understanding after a consultation however, this does not mean that measure as highly inadequate. with AFP suggested that the the rest of the pages’ sponsors The first example contained an establishment of an official Lack of transparency are not involved in shaping the image of a supposed lightning fact-checker in Slovakia was not

political discourse. 16 Current database of Blbec.online portal includes and meant as an attempt to improve Inadequate implementation of political party, while data in FB’s Ad about paid content of some pages monitors 1,825 FB pages and groups. The amount of 19 1,550 does not include FB pages labelled as politicians/ the quality of content prior to the FB’s own rules, originally aiming Library showed them as sponsored was suddenly removed. FB’s activities and efforts to public sector/political parties and state institutions. elections. On the contrary, the date at greater transparency, can be posts. Moreover, despite the fact

Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary block the spread of hoaxes, of establishing the fact-checker observed in relation to the system that the information about the election 2020 Slovak parliamentary 19 https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ disinformation and other had probably nothing to do with of FB Ads and sponsored content. paid ads should be kept in the rorysmith/the-uk-election-showed-just-how- unreliable-facebooks problematic content breaching the pre-election period. We identified several cases of FB Library for seven years, there the platform’s community sponsored posts lacking necessary were several instances identified 20 standards depends, to a large disclaimers about the sponsor or by researchers when information 21 Slovak parliamentary election 2020: Liberalism as a threat, Facebook as a battlefield GLOBSEC

www.globsec.org

Authors Methodology

Special thanks to Tomáš Forgon Monitoring covers the period figures” and pages listed under Mainstream media cannot for his help with data analysis and between October 1, 2019 to March no category. Second and third be trusted – a narrative which development of methodology. 2,2020 divided into three phases: monitoring phases corresponds challenges the trustworthiness Information beyond the analysis of to pages listed in the database of standard mainstream media Katarína Klingová the monitoring periods is valid to I. October 1, 2019 – November 15, on January 31, 2020 and the first through claims suggesting an March 11, 2020. 2019 monitoring corresponds to pages alleged bias and obedience to Senior Research Fellow II. November 16, 2019 – January listed there on September 30, political, financial and business GLOBSEC and the National 26, 2020 2019. elites and interests. Endowment for Democracy III. January 27, 2020 – March 2, assume no responsibility for facts 2020 ● 39 open groups on FB, Moratorium – a narrative about a or opinions expressed in this identified through shares of the legislative proposal banning public publication or their subsequent The monitoring covers five most-viral articles published by 52 opinion polls on voting preferences use. Sole responsibility lies with databases consisting of 904 webpages producing problematic 50 days ahead of the Slovak the authors of this publication. sources: content. Parliamentary Elections. Miroslava Sawiris Research Fellow All examples of the posts included 95 most-often visited web and The content of the databases was Oligarchy – a narrative about in this report are word-by-word news portals according to the further filtered through different influential business and financial transcripts or screenshots of real list on medialne.trend.sk. Pages forms of the word “elections” groups or members of these existing posts translated to English which are included on konspiratori. in Slovak and a total amount of groups, which considerably from Slovak. Authors by no means sk were excluded from this list as interactions on FB. Content was interfere into political processes agree with or subscribe under the purpose of this database is analysed on 30 posts with the and policy agendas in Slovakia. these claims. to monitor content not deemed highest number of interactions for problematic by the expert each database in each monitoring Election Interference This publication and research community. Pages that do not phase, whereas the outreach was – a narrative that challenges Dominika Hajdu was supported by the National produce original content were also generated from maximum 250 the legitimacy of the electoral Research Fellow Endowment for Democracy. excluded. most-viral posts for each category campaign and the elections as and monitoring phase. such suggesting some kind of © GLOBSEC 2020 92 FB pages of web and news interference into the electoral portals. The generation of lists was carried processes by foreign powers, out three days after the last day NGOs or through publishing public 52 web pages which regularly of monitoring to ensure that the opinion polls of voting preferences. produce problematic (unreliable, evaluated content had stable deceitful or propagandistic) numbers of interactions. Used metrics Richard Kuchta content20. This category also includes web pages which often Data was collected via monitoring Number of interactions – a sum Project Coordinator imitate legitimate news outlets tools NewsWhip and CrowdTangle. of all emoticons, commentaries and journalism visually, whilst and shares which a post generated their content does not meet the within a given time period. Strategic Communication standards of quality journalism Categorisation of the most Programme such as accuracy, using verified important topics monitored Total number of interactions sources or preventing the – a sum of all interactions for each GLOBSEC Policy Institute distortion of facts and context. Liberalism as a threat post in a given time period. This list primarily relies on sources – a narrative in which concept of from the database on konspiratori. liberalism and liberal democracy Average number of interactions sk (valid on October 1, 2019) and as a political system based on the – sum of all interactions divided is supplemented by the most-viral protection and empowerment of by a number of posts in certain sources from the database on personal freedom and individual category within a given time blbec.online of which pages on FB rights21 is presented as a threat period. have a web equivalent. or danger to state, society, Creative concept “traditional values”, etc. The

Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary & design 626 FB pages included in the concept is often stripped of its election 2020 Slovak parliamentary 20 This definition is taken from the initiative database blbec.online as active original meaning and portrayed as konšpirátori.sk pages producing content in Slovak, a vague threat without stating the 21 Definition according to Encyclopaedia Britannica: except for pages included in the reasons behind the alleged risk. https://www.britannica.com/topic/liberalism 22 category “Politicians / public 23 www.globsec.org Slovak parliamentary election 2020 Slovak parliamentary