Operation Overload was a large-scale disinformation campaign targeting journalists and fact-checkers, feeding them fake content aligned with a pro-Russian agenda. The operation involved the creation and distribution of fabricated assets, such as images, videos, and screenshots, designed to appear credible and relevant to the news cycle. This content was disseminated through various channels, including emails, Telegram, and X.
The operation primarily targeted journalists and fact-checkers in Europe, focusing on anti-Ukraine and anti-France narratives within the context of the Olympic Games.
The goal was to drain the time and resources of fact-checkers and journalists while attempting to shape public opinion.
Listen to our conversation with Guillaume Kuster, co-founder and CEO of CheckFirst, who exposed “Operation Overload.” Get a sneak peek behind the scenes of this investigation.
Guest: Guillaume Kuster, co-founder and CEO, CheckFirst network
Producer and host: Javier Luque, head of digital communications at IPI
Related links mentioned in the episode:
Other episodes in this series:
Season 2
Episode 1: How Austria’s far right sows distrust in media
Episode 2: France at tilting point as journalists face far-right disinfo attacks
Episode 3: A perfect storm: Climate journalism under attack in Croatia
Season 1
Episode 2: How journalists investigate the far right
Episode 3: Fact-checkers targeted by populists in Europe
Episode 4: When disinformation campaigns fuel hate and harassment
Episode 5: Alexander Roth – Smeared and threatened by the far-right next door
Episode 6: Franziska Tschinderle – Attacked by Orbán’s state media
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This podcast series is part of the project Decoding the disinformation playbook of populism in Europe, which is supported by the European Media and Information Fund, managed by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Disclaimer:
The sole responsibility for any content supported by the European Media and Information Fund lies with the author(s) and it may not necessarily reflect the positions of the EMIF and the Fund Partners, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute.
