IPI joins the MFRR partners in raising alarm over a recent wave of bot-driven cyber attacks targeting the social media accounts of Serbian media outlets. Our organisations warn that the dozen recorded incidents are not isolated cases but part of a broader pattern of coordinated attacks on the free flow of news and independent information in Serbia, which remains in a period of media freedom crisis.
Between 8 and 30 January, the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) recorded at least 12 coordinated bot attacks against Instagram accounts of independent media outlets in Serbia. Affected media outlets are Nova.rs, Nova S, Nova TV, Zoomer, Radar, Autonomija, VOICE, Danas, N1, Ozon Press, as well as photojournalists Irena Radosavljević and Gavrilo Andrić.
The bot attacks successfully resulted in the temporary suspension of several media’s Instagram accounts, limiting their ability to disseminate news. While they used different tactics, the attacks occurred within a short timeframe and involved artificial activity, including sudden surges in followers driven by fake profiles, leading Meta to automatically suspend the targeted accounts. All cases of bot attacks resulting in a suspension of media accounts were documented on the MFRR’s platform Mapping Media Freedom.
For instance, in the case of photojournalists Irena Radosavljević and Gavrilo Andrić, their accounts were suspended after dozens of fake profiles filed false reports against them to Meta. In addition, three of Nova.rs and Čačak-based portal OzonPress’s Instagram accounts were temporarily suspended for 180 days due to alleged violations of community guidelines. In other cases, the attackers artificially flooded the Instagram accounts of media with thousands of new fake followers, triggering automatic suspension by Meta for unusual activity. In the case of the news portal Radar, the deletion of its account not only obstructed the media activity but also allowed a fake account to be created, raising concerns over spoofing.
All accounts were restored by Meta after media outlets and media professionals directly contacted Meta’s support team.
In a letter to Meta, NUNS sought clarification from the tech company regarding the reasons for the suspensions, the safeguards in place to protect media outlets and journalists, as well as the existing mechanisms for human review and contextual assessment.
We support these requests for urgent clarification from Meta. We call on Meta to apply EU legal obligations under Articles 16 and 17 of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which require platforms to notify affected users of any restriction or suspension of content and accounts “without undue delay” and provide them with a clear and specific “statement of reasons”, including the legal basis for such decisions. Article 18 of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) demands that media service providers be contacted by Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) prior to any potential removal of editorial content. While Serbia is not an EU member state, it’s an EU accession country that should respect EU standards in the process of becoming a fully-fledged member.
The undersigned organisations emphasise that this unprecedented series of coordinated attacks on Instagram accounts constitutes an attempt to undermine media freedom and independent journalism in Serbia, given that Instagram serves as a critical communication channel for media outlets and journalists. It is especially important given that many young people rely almost exclusively on digital platforms for information on social and political issues.
MFRR partners warn that these attempts to block the social media platforms of media organisations represent a worrying new form of digital censorship in Serbia, and are part of a broader trend of increased threats, smear campaigns, and legal pressure against journalists. While the attacks were quickly addressed and the accounts were unblocked on this occasion, our organisations warn that these platform flaws could easily be manipulated by bad actors again in the future, either in Serbia or elsewhere in the world, unless additional safeguards are put in place.
These serious violations require a decisive response and clear, enforceable guarantees from Meta to protect both freedom of expression and the public’s right to be informed. The MFRR partners will continue to monitor these developments closely and will engage directly with Meta to seek clarification and accountability.
Signed:
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
International Press Institute (IPI)
ARTICLE 19 Europe
This statement is part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.
