{"id":51161,"date":"2025-07-24T18:57:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T15:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cji.md\/?p=51161"},"modified":"2025-12-15T15:32:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T13:32:03","slug":"disinformation-narratives-on-tiktok-in-pre-electoral-context-conspiratorial-propaganda-anti-western-rhetoric-and-state-delegitimization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/disinformation-narratives-on-tiktok-in-pre-electoral-context-conspiratorial-propaganda-anti-western-rhetoric-and-state-delegitimization\/","title":{"rendered":"Disinformation narratives on TikTok in pre-electoral context: Conspiratorial propaganda, anti-Western rhetoric, and state delegitimization"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Many TikTok channels in the Moldovan information space publish daily videos with manipulative, false, or distorted content, using emotional language, irony, deepfakes, and conspiracy theories to promote recurring disinformation narratives against the EU and NATO, the current government, or the war in Ukraine.<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n \t<li><strong>The monitoring of 51 channels <\/strong><strong>belonging to various politicians, bloggers\/influencers, media sources, or anonymous authors, carried out between July 1 and 15, has shown<\/strong><strong> that many of them publish on a daily basis up to a few dozen videos with harmful content and have reached an extensive audience, with over 42 million views in just two weeks. <\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>This online hyperactivity contributes to the creation of a toxic information space, in which disinformation circulates virally and can hardly be countered in real time. But the impact becomes even more significant in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>WHICH CHANNELS WE MONITORED<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The content shared on <strong>51 TikTok accounts<\/strong> was analyzed, of which:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n \t<li>10 held by politicians;<\/li>\r\n \t<li>15 held by bloggers\/influencers;<\/li>\r\n \t<li>13 anonymous accounts;<\/li>\r\n \t<li>13 accounts of media sources.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some of the most popular accounts of <strong>politicians<\/strong> are the accounts of Renato Usat\u00eei, with over 212,000 followers and 90 million views; Igor Dodon, with over 95,000 followers and 27 million views; and Irina Vlah, with over 71,000 followers and 30 million views.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among <strong>bloggers\/influencers<\/strong>, Grigore Manoli has over 442,000 followers and over 386 million views; Caras has over 175,000 followers and more than 145 million views; Sandeluu has over 168,000 followers and over 61 million views.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most popular <strong>anonymous accounts<\/strong> we have monitored are: @fantastic10007, with over 143,000 followers and 86 million views; @.alpha2betaomega, with over 106,000 followers and 37 million views; @poseidon_008, with over 66,000 followers and over 114 million views.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most popular <strong>media sources<\/strong> we have analyzed are TSV Pridnestrovie [\u0422\u0421\u0412 \u041f\u0440\u0438\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044c\u0435], with over 266,000 followers and over 10 million views; TV6, with over 210,000 followers and over 294 million views; Pervyi Pridnestrovskii [\u041f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u044b\u0439 \u041f\u0440\u0438\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439], with over 60,000 followers and over 37 million views.<\/p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>We hereinafter analyze the most prominent narratives present in the content shared by the monitored channels:<\/strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Criminal government and captured state. Disappointment with the country\u2019s leadership and distrust of institutions<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This narrative brings together a variety of themes: the hard life of pensioners, the problems of farmers, police abuses, price increases, and suspicions related to the government\u2019s proximity to the European Union.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A topic exploited in the analyzed period was <strong>the increase of the retirement age for women<\/strong> to 61 years and 6 months, starting with July 2025, according to the gradual increase calendar established by authorities until equalization with that of men in 2028. Alexei Lungu, a politician affiliated to Ilan \u0218or, mentioned in a <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@alexei.lungu1\/video\/7522086877524921656?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8xxzDPTTXOs\">video<\/a><\/u>, \u201cFrom July 1, the criminal group PAS decided to raise the retirement age,\u201d suggesting that women will die before they get to receive a pension.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The same narrative appears on the anonymous channel <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7522405363782536470\">@<\/a><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7522405363782536470\">fantastic10007<\/a><\/em><\/u>, followed by more than 143,000 users. One man nostalgically evokes the USSR: \u201cIn that USSR, women retired at 55, I think.\u201d The message, although apparently personal, distorts reality by lacking historical context. The channel also shared <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7522038842233261334\">the case of a farmer<\/a><\/u> without help in agricultural work, accompanied by generalizing statements such as \u201cthe labor force has reduced by 90%.\u201d <strong>The topic of agriculture<\/strong> is also widely exploited by politicians, often being used as a weapon to attack the European path of the Republic of Moldova. In one of the videos shared by Igor Dodon, the leader of the Party of Socialists, his colleague Bogdan \u021a\u00e2rdea <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@igor.dodon.md\/video\/7522137021817687302?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8xy1b39uGRD\">says<\/a><\/u> that the EU promised money for Moldovan farmers in the autumn, but it gave \u201cnot a single leu.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Irina Vlah\u2019s <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@irinavlah\/video\/7522436269398396166\">videos<\/a><\/u> on this subject have a more aggressive and populist approach, suggesting that Moldova \u201chas always been an agrarian country,\u201d and today \u201cparents go to the market to buy fruits and vegetables for their children and leave at least 500 lei there.\u201d Irina Vlah also says, \u201cIf our foreign policy had been built with citizens\u2019 interests in mind, our production would have been the most competitive.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51163 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"721\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-300x135.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-1024x461.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-768x346.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-1536x692.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-380x171.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-20x9.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-190x86.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-760x342.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.1-1-1140x514.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The alleged activity of the Government to the detriment of the Republic of Moldova<\/strong> is one of the most widespread narratives among politicians and bloggers who seem to be affiliated with them. Most often it is suggested that the rulers of the state work in the interests of \u201ctheir partners\u201d, who lead and control them. This, for example, has been <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@victoria.furtuna.rm\/video\/7522518433636945158\">mentioned<\/a><\/u> by Victoria Furtun\u0103, leader of the Great Moldova Party, or by the blogger Gabriel C\u0103lin, the latter stating that Moldova needs \u201ca balanced foreign policy, not a diplomacy of servitude.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51131 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"729\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-300x137.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-1024x467.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-768x350.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-1536x700.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-380x173.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-20x9.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-190x87.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-760x346.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-1.2-1140x519.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another channel \u2013 <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@.alpha2betaomega\/video\/7522936161652772103\">@.alpha2betaomega<\/a><\/u><\/em>, a Canadian-based account with more than 106,000 followers \u2013 had a Russian speaker launch conspiratorial-style questions about the usefulness of state services, suggesting that citizens should no longer contribute to pensions, because \u201cmany will never benefit from them.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The police<\/strong> are frequently portrayed in a negative role, either through tense interactions with street vendors or in connection with the proposal of the chief of the General Police Inspectorate to increase the salaries of police officers to up to MDL 35,000. <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7526701352991345942\">A clip<\/a><\/u> on <em>@fantastic10007<\/em> scoffs at the idea and questions the large number of police officers, suggesting inefficiency and favoritism. The dominant feeling is that of frustration and distrust of the authorities and their priorities.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The TikTok account <em>@costa.moldovanca<\/em> often turns to conspiracy theories and <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@costa.moldovanca\/video\/7527317970129816837\">mentions<\/a><\/u> that \u201csome people who work in state institutions, which must ensure the neutrality of this country, are part of Masonic lodges,\u201d also making reference to the Security and Intelligence Service Director Alexandru Mustea\u021ba.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most often, <strong>public institutions are accused of being subordinate to the ruling party<\/strong>, and <strong>the country is allegedly captured<\/strong>. To make this point, Alexei Lungu always uses the label of \u201ccriminal group\u201d when addressing the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS).<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the same time, <em>@ninadimoglo<\/em> <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@ninadimoglo\/video\/7526458045887548677\">claims<\/a><\/u> in a video filmed on the occasion of the end of the term of the current Legislature that all power in the country is in the hands of one person, and the abuses of the authorities are masked with integration into the EU. The same post mentions <strong>censorship of the media<\/strong> or freedom of expression, <strong>persecution of the opposition<\/strong> and \u2013 \u201cthe icing on the cake,\u201d according to the author \u2013 <strong>declaring the Russian Federation as the main enemy of the Republic of Moldova<\/strong>. The same narratives are repeated by <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@costa.moldovanca\/video\/7525884905813822726\">@costa.moldovanca<\/a><\/u><\/em> and <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@aviktor_force\/video\/7525867539709168952?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8yCjWVuLeWm\">@aviktor_force<\/a><\/u><\/em>, the latter trying to maintain a de facto neutral position in two other posts made on the occasion of the same event: the removal or reduction of democracy, the censorship or closure of the media, and the destruction of relations with the Russian Federation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Parliamentary elections will be rigged<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Distrust of the government extends to the electoral context as well. In a <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@tv6.press\/video\/7522948730467765510\">news<\/a><\/u> broadcast by TV6 (channel with over 210,000 followers) about an IMAS poll, information is presented selectively to amplify distrust in the electoral process. In some phrases, the research is presented as an alleged proof of speculative conclusions: \u201cAccording to the study, the authorities will influence the outcome of the elections by unorthodox methods; foreign politicians will be involved and transport for voters will be organized.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The narrative of the rigged elections is widely promoted by politicians, too, especially by Irina Vlah, who dedicated several videos to this topic. The politician <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@irinavlah\/video\/7522047378304634118\">has stated<\/a><\/u> repeatedly that the 2024 elections were rigged with the help of the diaspora, and the same will allegedly happen in 2025. She also <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@irinavlah\/video\/7522047378304634118\">says<\/a><\/u> she will conduct an investigation, re-examine the results of the 2024 election, and punish the culprits. Igor Dodon <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@igor.dodon.md\/video\/7522137021817687302?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8xy1b39uGRD\">claims<\/a><\/u> that \u201cthe Ministry of Internal Affairs ensured massive election fraud in the diaspora.\u201d In another video shared by the PSRM leader, a man <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@igor.dodon.md\/video\/7523974528679021880?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8xy4Q8m1So4\">said<\/a><\/u> that \u201cdiplomatic bags with already stamped ballots were sent to the diaspora.\u201d None of the facts alleged about last year\u2019s presidential election have been proved.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the same spirit, @ninadimoglo <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@ninadimoglo\/video\/7526589593966218502\">suggests<\/a><\/u> in one of her videos that the authorities, through unconstitutional methods and secretly, \u201cchange the rules\u201d during the game to manipulate the election results.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51136 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"732\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-300x137.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-1024x468.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-768x351.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-1536x703.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-380x174.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-20x9.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-190x87.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-760x348.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-2-2-1140x522.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a fragment from an interview with Vladimir Voronin at Gon\u021ba Show, broadcast on <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@morari.live\/video\/7527360589509741829\">@morari.live<\/a><\/u><\/em> (channel with over 33,000 followers), when asked by the moderator whether the diaspora will save PAS again, the leader of the Party of Communists says that \u201cit is not the diaspora who votes, but the ambassadors,\u201d insinuating that the results of the diaspora vote are manipulated by diplomats. He cites examples from the past, suggesting that Maia Sandu\u2019s victory was allegedly \u201csaved\u201d by the vote from abroad through ambassadors. In the same interview, he questions the legitimacy of the diaspora, outlining a conspiratorial framework and saying that the term \u201cdiaspora\u201d must be clearly defined in the law to stop the manipulation of votes of citizens abroad for political purposes.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a fragment from another episode of Gheorghe Gon\u021ba\u2019s show, broadcast on <em><u><a href=\"http:\/\/tiktok.com\/@gheorghe_gonta\/video\/7522793202328390917\">@morari.live<\/a><\/u><\/em>, the guest Victor Pogol\u0219a declares that \u201cthe electoral process is compromised,\u201d claiming that \u201cthe governing party arranges everything in such a way as to regain the majority.\u201d This opinion fits in a conspiratorial framework, which detracts from the legitimacy of future elections.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Messages of social division and discrimination<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many of the narratives promoted are interconnected, and dissatisfaction with the government is often associated with themes of social division and discrimination. A recurring direction on anonymous channels is <strong>the attack on the LGBTQ+ community<\/strong>, often by associating the governing party with the parades and concerns of this community, presented as evidence of a lack of real priorities.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The channel <em>@guvernulderahat<\/em>, many of whose posts are generated or manipulated with artificial intelligence, frequently publishes videos with disparaging lyrics and homophobic overtones. For example, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@guvernulderahat\/video\/7522120177933094150\">a clip<\/a><\/u> includes the message \u201cPAS, do not vote PAS, because Recean is a fag.\u201d The term is pejorative and is used as an attack on the person, with the aim of discrediting politicians by associating with a sexual orientation that is negatively perceived in society \u2013 an explicit form of homophobia unrelated to public policy.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another narrative line related to social divisions appears in the case of the priest from Grin\u0103u\u021bi, R\u00ee\u0219cani district, who decided to switch the church from the Metropolis of Moldova to that of Bessarabia. A piece of news published on <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@tv6.press\/video\/7522052862659104056\">TV6<\/a><\/u> channel shows us a biased context on the events, with the aim of discrediting the Metropolis of Bessarabia and the Romanian state. The source presented the subject in an unbalanced and tendentious way, suggesting that the Metropolis of Bessarabia is acting aggressively and that change has been imposed. Neither the priest\u2019s reasons nor the support received from some parishioners were mentioned. One interviewed local woman says, \u201cWe want to know, since when was the church sold? Since when did it switch to the Romanians, since when?\u201d These statements, while genuine, are presented selectively and tendentiously to amplify the narrative of illegitimate cession of church property.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This news is also exploited on the channel <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7524465918462758166\">@fantastic10007<\/a><\/u><\/em>. The person in the video appeals to the idea that someone allegedly wants to divide Moldova and that even <strong>the religion and faith in God are under attack<\/strong>. \u201cWake up to reality, or people will lose faith in God, too.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Victoria Furtun\u0103 also <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@victoria.furtuna.rm\/video\/7523262751817485624\">says<\/a><\/u> in one of her posts, \u201cThe Metropolis of Bessarabia is a non-governmental organization and has become a political tool openly used in geopolitical games and a propaganda of unionism.\u201d The politician also suggests that the Metropolis aims to destroy the pillars of our national identity, being supported by \u201cthose who fight against the Moldovan language, the faith and the memory of our ancestors.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51145 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"731\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-300x137.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-1024x468.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-768x351.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-1536x702.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-380x174.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-20x9.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-190x87.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-760x347.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-3-2-1140x521.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Victoria Furtun\u0103 also promotes a narrative from the series of those about the <strong>\u201cforeign agents\u2019 law\u201d, but targeting NGOs or the media<\/strong>. The politician <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@victoria.furtuna.rm\/video\/7524252459015867653\">claims<\/a><\/u> she will create \u201cnational registers of recipients of foreign funds\u201d and demand \u201cthe liquidation of all international monitoring organizations that operate outside the Constitution, outside the control of the people.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The blogger Gabriel C\u0103lin develops the same idea, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@calingabriel2025\/video\/7526124857000611077\">noting<\/a><\/u> that he will do \u201ceverything possible for the foreign financing of the media to be banned and so that we will no longer have NGOs that get involved in politics.\u201d He also says that \u201cglobalists and Soros\u201d decided that NGOs should write our laws, and \u201ca combination of the foreign agents\u2019 laws from Russia and the USA would be perfect for Moldova.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<strong>4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Anti-EU narratives and delegitimization of European integration: Loss of neutrality and a country governed by foreigners<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The EU-Moldova summit of July 4 generated a wave of manipulative content on TikTok, used to challenge the intentions of Moldova\u2019s rapprochement with European institutions. An example is <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@guvernulderahat\/video\/7523694334974217478\">a video<\/a><\/u> manipulated with artificial intelligence, in which local and European political leaders appear to be \u201cdancing\u201d in chairs. The comment accompanying the images insinuates that the entire meeting may have been a \u201crehearsal\u201d to fool the audience. The message is that politicians play roles and European integration is just a fa\u00e7ade.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the channel <em>@shoknews.inform<\/em>, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@shoknews.inform\/video\/7523237570772290821\">another clip<\/a><\/u> shows diplomatic convoys in Chisinau, accompanied by the text: \u201cThe Masters have come\u201d. This message reinforces the narrative that Moldova is not led democratically, but directed from outside by Western powers. Integration into the EU is thus associated with the loss of sovereignty.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the context of the visit of EU representatives to Chisinau, Igor Dodon <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@igor.dodon.md\/video\/7522440691042110725?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8xy2BgiHDs7\">wonders<\/a><\/u>, \u201cWhat about neutrality and sovereignty?\u201d, and the protagonists of the same video claim that Moldova is \u201cgoverned by foreigners\u201d and \u201cthe official policy of the EU is the anti-Russian and homophobic course.\u201d At the same time, it is suggested that the EU imposes an anti-Moscow policy in Chisinau, which \u201cdestroys Moldova\u2019s economy.\u201d In another video, Igor Dodon <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@igor.dodon.md\/video\/7523521299826789688?_t=ZS-8xy3dMenBE0&amp;_r=1\">propagates<\/a><\/u> a generous \u201cbouquet\u201d of manipulative anti-EU narratives: \u201cThe EU is in a deep crisis of legitimacy now\u201d and has become an undemocratic entity because it cancels elections, bans parties, and persecutes political opponents through \u201ccontrolled justice.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The politician mentions that the sanctions against Russia \u201chit the EU economy to the ground\u201d and \u201ceveryone understands that there is no more economic prosperity in the EU.\u201d Another message \u2013 even more serious \u2013 spread by Igor Dodon is that \u201cthe EU is turning into a military bloc\u201d and uses Moldova only as an instrument in its geopolitical struggle against Russia. The same idea is shared by other bloggers and politicians, such as <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@alexei.lungu1\/video\/7522086877524921656?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8xxzDPTTXOs\">Alexei Lungu<\/a><\/u>, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@vasile.tarlev\/photo\/7522437662964288824\">Vasile Tarlev<\/a><\/u>, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@calingabriel2025\/video\/7524936830957948216\">Gabriel C\u0103lin<\/a><\/u>, or <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@costa.moldovanca\/video\/7527359042147175685\">@costa.moldovanca<\/a><\/u><\/em>.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Igor Dodon\u2019s account also promoted a <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@igor.dodon.md\/video\/7526253073316973829\">video<\/a><\/u> with disinformation narratives of Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian ruler. \u201cNo one is waiting for you anywhere,\u201d he said, insinuating that European integration will destroy Moldova\u2019s economy.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Victoria Furtun\u0103 propagates the same anti-EU ideas, although she tries to take a centrist stance. She <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@victoria.furtuna.rm\/video\/7523119207513476357\">says<\/a><\/u> that \u201cintegration must be delayed\u201d and <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@victoria.furtuna.rm\/video\/7524609313755729157\">notes<\/a><\/u> that EU sanctions are a method of persecuting politicians: \u201cIs that the new voice of Free Europe?\u201d Another narrative <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@victoria.furtuna.rm\/video\/7526590309690576133\">promoted<\/a><\/u> by Furtun\u0103, but through the prism of the \u201cvoice of the ordinary people\u201d, is that emigration to the EU is a form of humiliation and modern slavery: \u201cYou are a foreigner. You are a slave there.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51140 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"726\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-1024x465.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-768x348.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-1536x697.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-380x172.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-20x9.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-190x86.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-760x345.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-4-2-1140x517.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Victor Tarlev <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@vasile.tarlev\/photo\/7522437662964288824\">mentions<\/a><\/u> in his posts that the EU is turning a blind eye to \u201cserious violations of democracy\u201d in our country and, in order to strengthen PAS, \u201csome European partners tolerate censorship and repressions against the opposition\u201d in Chisinau.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The account <em>@costa.moldovanca<\/em>, again turning to conspiracy theories, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@costa.moldovanca\/video\/7522826979574435078\">claims<\/a><\/u> that the EU and politicians in Chisinau earn money on account of the high prices paid by ordinary Moldovans for energy.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A more subtle message, but outlining the same idea, comes from <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@gheorghe_gonta\/video\/7521988584031735096\">a guest of Gheorghe Gon\u021ba<\/a><\/u>, who says, \u201cMoldova is going into the blue.\u201d It is an unfounded generalization that offers no solution or direction, but only reinforces the idea of stagnation and lack of future. \u201cOur country, in order to go somewhere, we must not hold the begging bowl out to the West or to the East\u201d \u2013 this statement emphasizes a sense of uselessness and dependence on an external force.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7524460683224714518\">In another video<\/a><\/u> on the channel <em>@fantastic10007<\/em>, a man tells us about the beauty of the Moldovan villages, which, despite being quiet and deserted, with abandoned houses and lack of people, offer a rarely found peace and tranquility. He points out the contrast with European streets, where on every corner you can find pharmacies and banks, indicating that people there are \u201cindebted and sick\u201d. In Moldovan villages, on the other hand, there are no pharmacies or banks, because, according to him, people eat healthy and have no debts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Anti-Romanian sentiments <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Skepticism about the benefits of European integration is often accompanied by anti-Romanian narratives, designed to undermine confidence in the relationship between Chisinau and Bucharest.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@tv6.press\/video\/7526858069024771384\">news story<\/a><\/u> broadcast by TV6 cites an article from the Romanian platform Gandul.ro, allegedly saying that \u201cBucharest financed the Moldovan media to support Nicu\u0219or Dan and discredit George Simion\u201d in the presidential election. The video goes further, stating that the editorial policy of the Moldovan media is \u201cdictated by Bucharest with the consent of the official Chisinau.\u201d This insinuates a government complicity in a media manipulation scheme.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@pravdamoldova25\/video\/7523604251336133894\">@pravdamoldova25<\/a><\/u><\/em> channel, a video compares images of Romanian President Nicu\u0219or Dan and Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin, both in interaction with the military. While the Romanian president goes through a usual greeting ritual, the Russian one insists on shaking hands with the military. That contrast favors Putin, who is suggested to have a closer relationship with the military.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another event that fueled anti-Romanian sentiments was the ban on entry into Romania imposed on Ion Ceban. In a video posted by <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7526204139840425238\">@fantastic10007<\/a><\/u><\/em>, one commenter claimed the decision was a \u201ccoup de grace\u201d orchestrated by Maia Sandu to politically compromise Ceban and weaken his electoral base. The same source claims that \u201cNicu\u0219or Dan returned the debt to Maia Sandu\u201d for the support offered earlier in his electoral campaign, insinuating foreign political interference and a network of influence between Bucharest and Chisinau. Through such examples, Romania is presented as a manipulative factor, the relationship with Bucharest being harmful or illegitimate for the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova.<\/p>\r\n<strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51148 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"877\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-1024x561.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-768x421.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-1536x842.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-380x208.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-20x11.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-190x104.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-760x417.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-5-1140x625.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/strong>\r\n<ol start=\"6\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Nostalgia for the Soviet past and promotion of rapprochement with Russia<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Criticism of the government and European integration is often accompanied by nostalgia for the USSR and messages favorable to rapprochement with Russia.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7522429720747642134\">video<\/a><\/u>, a man claims that \u201c80-90% of Italians are against Brussels\u201d for the reason that the EU \u201chas broken its promises\u201d, \u201cgay-ed\u201d Europe, and is responsible for the war in Ukraine. Russia is presented as a bastion of traditional values, and Putin allegedly \u201cendured too much\u201d since 2014.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a discussion with a woman from Bravicea, in another <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7526541343125015830\">video<\/a><\/u>, they compare the current agricultural work, for MDL 400 per day, without water or food, with the Soviet times, when workers were brought a \u201ccart with cold water\u201d and \u201cchildren from the school brigade drank water from one cup.\u201d The speaker criticizes the European Village project, arguing that despite investments in infrastructure, people have no jobs.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The concerts of Russian artists invited to Chisinau by Renato Usat\u00eei were also commented. In a <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@politicamoldoveneasca25\/video\/7522881521171041542\">video<\/a><\/u> posted on an anonymous channel, the speaker suggests that \u201cthe people of Moldova want to be friends with Russia and love Russian songs.\u201d It shaped the message that the Russian culture unites, given what he saw at the concert: \u201cI realized that there were no divisions: no Russians, no Moldovans, no Romanians, no state language, no Ukrainians, but everybody just stood and listened.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">An image published on the <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@pravdamoldova25\/photo\/7521973540309060870\">@pravdamoldova25<\/a><\/u><\/em> channel shows a Lada car, which \u201cseriously damages\u201d a Mercedes car, without the Russian car being scratched. It is thus insinuated that Soviet products were durable and qualitative as opposed to the \u201cillusion\u201d of Western welfare.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@pravdamoldova25\/video\/7524736352995298566\">another post<\/a><\/u> on the same channel we are presented with a series of images comparing Soviet youth with youth of the current generation, with the emphasis that the choices of Soviet-era youth were better and healthier. For example, one of the images shows young people in pioneer uniforms, with serious and determined expressions, in contrast to modern young people who take selfies and seem \u201cless serious\u201d. The caption is also suggestive: \u201cUSSR vs now. Where has true youth gone?\u201d These comparisons represent negative associations and speak of an idealized past and a fallen present. They ignore historical and social contexts in order to suggest that life was better \u201cin the time of the USSR\u201d and that Russia today represents the continuity of that model.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some politicians in Chisinau openly <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@igor.dodon.md\/video\/7522197659457752376?_r=1&amp;_t=ZS-8xy1tdxUEyd\">promote<\/a><\/u> a pro-Russian course of the Republic of Moldova, although they often mask it as \u201cgood relations with all.\u201d Igor Dodon, for example, calls the dialog with Russia a \u201cnational interest\u201d. He also says that \u201cthe EU understood that it must develop a dialog with the Russian Federation,\u201d suggesting that Moldova should do the same. Curiously, the next day, the politician shared a video about Russophobia in the EU, which is allegedly imposed on Chisinau. The advantages of friendship with Moscow, presented by Igor Dodon, <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@irinavlah\/video\/7522436269398396166\">Irina Vlah<\/a><\/u> and <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@vasile.tarlev\/video\/7526501564698184965\">Vasile Tarlev<\/a><\/u>, among other people, are cheap energy resources.<\/p>\r\n<strong><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51151 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"723\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-1024x463.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-768x347.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-1536x694.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-380x172.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-20x9.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-190x86.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-760x343.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-6-1140x515.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/strong><\/strong>\r\n<ol start=\"7\">\r\n \t<li><strong>War in Ukraine<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Narratives about the war in Ukraine promote ideas designed to undermine support for Ukraine and cultivate resignation to the conflict.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@fantastic10007\/video\/7522100735421549846\">video<\/a><\/u> on the anonymous channel <em>@fantastic10007<\/em> shows a fragment from an interview on the YouTube channel of Diana Pancenko, a Ukrainian journalist, promoting Kremlin propaganda about the war. In the interview with Colonel Davis, an American military man who has a skeptical position towards the support of Ukraine by NATO and the US, the theory of unification of the armies of Ukraine and Russia is discussed. The narrative is speculative, based on an impossible scenario, to illustrate the absurdity of the conflict or to highlight the need for negotiation.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The channel <em>@.alpha2betaomega<\/em> explains in a <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@.alpha2betaomega\/video\/7524020303744355591\">video<\/a><\/u> that it has the \u201csolution\u201d to stop any military conflict in just 24 hours, but stresses that this \u201cwill never happen\u201d because the interests of those in power are other than this. The speaker says that ordinary people are \u201cinjected\u201d with patriotism and the idea that \u201csomeone wants to take something away from them\u201d, prompting them to give their lives willingly in war. Although the expressions and language are vague, the idea that Ukrainian patriotism is useless is emerging.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A guest of Gheorghe Gon\u021ba also <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@gheorghe_gonta\/video\/7522053171737316664\">comments<\/a><\/u> on the war narrative, saying that the fear of war is unfounded in Moldova. The interlocutor states that he has never heard of Russian intentions to invade or affect Moldova and calls the fear of a possible Russian invasion \u201cstupidity\u201d and \u201cartificial fear\u201d.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On another anonymous channel, a single <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@87vit17\/video\/7527272034959674680?fbclid=IwY2xjawLu5HZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFKSm1RaHpnS2JyOVhUWjdwAR4Ji5clUPxhti-ZXI6OPxfPLy4Jy5S8_w9fujgB37PdPE3rbtJuHmhG3BONCw_aem_yOkyASRp9_qItkEyO-51gg\">video<\/a><\/u> that has accumulated more than 222,000 views disinforms about Moldova\u2019s involvement in the war: \u201cOur soldiers have already been sent to Ukraine, the consequences are tragic, Moldovan soldiers have died. They die, and their relatives are forced to sign papers about the non-disclosure of this information.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-51154 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"871\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7.png 1600w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-1536x836.png 1536w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-380x207.png 380w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-20x11.png 20w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-190x103.png 190w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-760x414.png 760w, https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Colaj-7-1140x621.png 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>CONCLUSIONS<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>\u00a01.<\/strong><strong>Intensification and diversification of anti-government narratives in electoral context<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The monitored period (July 1-15) illustrates a significant mobilization on TikTok of political, media, and anonymous channels around conspiratorial and anti-government themes. They aimed to undermine public trust in state institutions and the electoral process, constantly suggesting that Moldova is a captured state and the upcoming elections will be rigged.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Convergence of anti-Western and nostalgic pro-Russian narratives<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Anti-EU and anti-NATO speeches are recurring, often associated with promoting a nostalgic outlook towards the USSR and rapprochement with the Russian Federation. European integration is portrayed as a form of loss of sovereignty, while Russia is portrayed as a traditional ally, protector of genuine values.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n \t<li><strong>Exploitation of social, cultural, and religious cleavages<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Actors in this information ecosystem manipulate on topics such as religious identity, sexuality, NGO status, and ethnic affiliation to produce social division. Homophobic and anti-Romanian messages are propagated in a narrative framework aimed at internal division.<\/p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>The monitoring was carried out within the project\u00a0\u201cResilient Media, Informed Voters: Safeguarding Moldova\u2019s Elections from Disinformation\u201d, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Moldova. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the donor.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Access to the TikTok monitoring tool was provided as part of the project &#8220;ProElect &#8211; Promote accountability in Electoral processes in EaP through increased participation and capacity of civic actors&#8221; implemented by the Center for Research and Advocacy in European Affairs with the financial support of the European Union and Equal Rights &amp; Independent Media (ERIM).<\/em><\/p>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div><p id=\"pvc_stats_51161\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"51161\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 class=\"lazyload\" \/><\/p><div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;] Many TikTok channels in the Moldovan information space publish daily videos with manipulative, false, or distorted content, using emotional language, irony, deepfakes, and conspiracy theories to promote recurring disinformation narratives against the EU and NATO, the current government, or the war in Ukraine.\u00a0 The monitoring of 51 channels belonging to various politicians, bloggers\/influencers,&hellip;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_51161\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"51161\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":51157,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4284],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-retele-sociale-2025-en"],"aioseo_notices":[],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":31,"today_views":0},"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1.png",1140,617,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-300x162.png",300,162,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-768x416.png",768,416,true],"large":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-1024x554.png",1024,554,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1.png",1140,617,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1.png",1140,617,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-200x200.png",200,200,true],"revolution-thumbnail":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-100x100.png",100,100,true],"revolution-bloglarge":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-650x325.png",650,325,true],"revolution-square":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-380x350.png",380,350,true],"revolution-rectangle":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-380x315.png",380,315,true],"revolution-squaresmall":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-380x300.png",380,300,true],"revolution-squaresmalltall":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-380x600.png",380,600,true],"revolution-squaresmallwide":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-760x300.png",760,300,true],"revolution-masonry":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-380x206.png",380,206,true],"revolution-tall":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-380x617.png",380,617,true],"revolution-wide":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-760x350.png",760,350,true],"revolution-thumbnail-small":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-50x200.png",50,200,true],"revolution-thumbnail-x2":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-200x200.png",200,200,true],"revolution-thumbnail-x3":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-300x300.png",300,300,true],"revolution-thumbnail-mini":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-20x20.png",20,20,true],"revolution-bloglarge-small":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-325x617.png",325,617,true],"revolution-bloglarge-x2":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1.png",1140,617,false],"revolution-bloglarge-x3":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1.png",1140,617,false],"revolution-bloglarge-mini":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-20x10.png",20,10,true],"revolution-square-small":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-190x617.png",190,617,true],"revolution-square-x2":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-760x617.png",760,617,true],"revolution-square-x3":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1.png",1140,617,false],"revolution-square-mini":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-20x18.png",20,18,true],"revolution-rectangle-small":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-190x617.png",190,617,true],"revolution-rectangle-x2":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1-760x617.png",760,617,true],"revolution-rectangle-x3":["https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Tiktok-monitorizare-1140x617-1.png",1140,617,fa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css=&#8221;&#8221;] Many TikTok channels in the Moldovan information space publish daily videos with manipulative, false, or distorted content, using emotional language, irony, deepfakes, and conspiracy theories to promote recurring disinformation narratives against the EU and NATO, the current government, or the war in Ukraine.\u00a0 The monitoring of 51 channels belonging to various politicians, bloggers\/influencers, media sources, or anonymous authors, carried out between July 1 and 15, has shown that many of them publish on a daily basis up to a few dozen videos with harmful content and have reached an extensive audience, with over 42 million views in just&hellip;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_51161\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"51161\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","category_list":"<a href=\"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/category\/publications\/monitoring\/elections\/social-networks\/retele-sociale-2025-en\/\" rel=\"category tag\">2025<\/a>","author_info":{"name":"Victoria Tataru","url":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/author\/victoria-tataru\/"},"comments_num":"0 comments","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51161"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51448,"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51161\/revisions\/51448"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cji.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}