ISI’s digital jihad: 5,000 fake accounts target India amid SIR protests

New Delhi, October 14 (IANS): Pakistan’s digital jihad campaign against India has reportedly intensified, with fake news peddlers stepping up efforts to malign the security forces and the Union government. Over the past two weeks, more than 5,000 social media accounts have reportedly been created in Pakistan with the alleged objective of spreading misinformation and inciting violence.An Intelligence Bureau official said the sudden proliferation of these accounts was directly linked to the ongoing anti-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) protests.The focus of these posts is largely on the actions of law enforcement agencies. Fake claims about police firing, lathi charges, and the use of tear gas shells are being circulated on social media at regular intervals.“The intention is to provoke the youth and push them towards violence. The police would be compelled to act if violence breaks out, potentially triggering a chain reaction across the country,” the official said.A closer examination of these handles by investigating agencies suggests that they are operated by a mix of Indian and Pakistani accounts. While such activity is not new, investigators say the pattern observed this time is markedly different.Another official said that earlier the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) would use hubs largely in Rawalpindi or Islamabad to create fake accounts and generate fake news. This makes finding the trail much easier for investigators.The ISI has this time spread its operations across multiple locations in the country, the official said. The locations identified as sources of fake news originating in Pakistan include Bhimber, Rawalakot, Tarakhal, Sialkot, Kolti, Mendhar and Peshawar, among others.Individuals across these locations are being recruited to create social media accounts, the official said. The ISI then provides them with specific information and directs them to circulate it through these accounts.“The individuals are also instructed to tag users in foreign countries to expand the reach of these posts. By the time Indian fact-checking agencies expose the content as fake, it would have already gained traction and shaped public discourse,” the official said.Another official said that the ISI is well aware that it takes time before fake news is called out.Further, the number of people who follow fact-checkers is minimal compared with those who consume the fake news. While the people in cities and tier-1 or 2 cities are more adept when it comes to fact-checking the news, the same cannot be said about those living in the smaller towns and villages, the official said.It takes these people days before they get to know what the real information is, and by that time word-of-mouth takes place, and the damage is already done.The ISI is also taking advantage of the fact that there are many youth who are part of these protests. Each one of them is well-versed when it comes to consuming news through their mobile phones.At the peak of a protest, if such fake news crops up, these youth tend to believe it immediately. In the heat of the moment, they do not bother checking whether the information is right or not, and eventually it spreads like wildfire.For instance, when a protest is taking place in New Delhi, the fake news would emerge in a completely different place. This works well for these handles, as people in other cities do not know exactly what is going on where the protests are happening.Instantly, they jump to the support of the protesters and eventually another chaos unfolds in that place, officials say.The most recent example of fake news being peddled amid the ongoing protests is about an injury to the leader of the opposition and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi. Some handles posted that the Delhi police have opened fire and Rahul Gandhi has been injured.Such news can spread like wildfire, and the aim was to rile up Congress supporters in other places so that they too would start protesting or indulge in violence.The ISI has not restricted the creation of handles to Pakistanis alone. As part of their Operation Ground Wire, they have even targeted Indians. Many Indians have been paid by the ISI to create content against the Indian state.This is aimed at shifting the narrative and defaming the Indian state. This constant shift in tactics, especially at such a volatile time, has created another headache for the Indian agencies.The Intelligence Bureau and state police are constantly monitoring such accounts and immediately reporting them. It takes time to find these handles and report them, and by the time it happens, the damage is already done.Adding to the problem is also the scale at which this operation is being carried out. It is not just a couple of accounts that we are talking about. It runs into thousands of accounts, an official said.