▶  The problem is AI-generated disinformation and propaganda have become more sophisticated, making it harder to detect and delete.

▶  Those poor lingustic and semantic nuances, and amateurish attempts to spread fake news and propaganda are disappearing.

▶  ‘wolf-warrior diplomats’ are under orders to intervene European politics and decision-making

Disinformation, fake news and propaganda originating in China and Russia are here to stay. ‘Here’ as in European domestic politics and social media platforms such as Facebook, X, LinkedIn and whatever else are in reach and vulnerable to unwanted Chinese and Russian meddlings. It could be an exaggeration to say Chinese and Russian fake news and propaganda are ‘flooding’ in Europe and social media platforms, and are actively consumed by teenagers and politicians. However, governments and European Union (EU) are nonetheless advised to ‘resist the beginnings’ early on as the saying goes.

Indeed, it is time to name and shame the actors, and use technological and legal instruments to identify and delete disinformation and propaganda from social media platforms. Let us start with the naming and shaming right here: the kind of fake news and disinformation Chinese and Russian state actors and their embassies and consulates post on social media platforms. That wasn’t so hard, right?

The good news is that governments and institutions in democratic countries are equipped with the instruments and expertise to use artificial intelligence to detect, track and counter disinformation and fake news. The problem is AI-generated disinformation and propaganda have become more sophisticated, making it harder to detect and delete. Then we are in need of having AI models that can indentify AI-created fake narratives that are repetitive and similar. Democratic countries like South Korea, the U.S. and EU member states have put instrumental and legal framework in order to counter and delete disinformation. The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) e.g. adopted in 2023 regulates online intermediaries and platforms such as social networks, content-sharing platforms, app stores, and online travel and accommodation platforms. Its main goal, the EU Commission defines, is to “prevent illegal and harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation.” To be sure, the DSA is also addressed to the Western big tech companies, which at times complained about the new and more stricter regulations. However, there is an open and (largely) transparent discourse between institutions and companies affected by the rules taking place in democracies and democracies only. The same obviously cannot be said for clandestine Chinese and Russian actors and sources: the attempts to spread Chinese and Russian disinformation and fake news will continue regardless of the DSA. This is where joint efforts make it into the equation.

Government institutions cannot deal with disinformation and fake news alone. Those tech and social media companies, research institutes, and universities are advised to collaborate: share expertise, data and strategies to unmask and counter conspiracy theories. There are lots of conspiracy theories such as China suggesting that the Coid-19 virus did not originate in Wuhan, but was instead created in laboratory in Texas. In fact, the Twitter account of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed over months that they have found and published evidence about U.S. producing and exporting a deadly virus to China.

Let us return to planet Earth and human intelligence. Even though Beijing is getting (much) better and being more sophisticated, disinformation published in languages other than Chinese is often and still relatively easily identifiable. Leaving aside the fact that the contents are often too ridiculous, the conspircacy theories are too outrageous, figures are too nonsenscial and, linguistics and semantics are not perfect, giving it away that a conspiracy theory published in Italian or German was drafted in  IT sweatshops in Shanghai, Siberia or Pyongyang. However, articifical intelligence makes lingiustics and semantics better and better. Those poor lingustic and semantic nuances, and amateurish attempts to spread fake news and propaganda are disappearing. Ask Taiwanese authorities who fight for Taiwanese democracy against Chinese disinformation and fake news in perfect Chinese. Taiwanese authorities and regulators are already and constantly on edge warning Taiwanese citizens to read very carefully when receiving information from non-Taiwanese sources.

The lion share of disinformation, misinformation, and cyber attacks in Europe originate in Russia and China, and the gloves are clearly off. ‘Off’ as in European governments and institutions are no longer speaking of ‘certain countries’ as the sources and perpetators of disinformation and/cyber attacks, but instead naming those responsible on the public record.

There are even threats to democracy in Europe, emerging from extremists and radical parties spreading disinformaton on behalf of Russia and China. Links - both political and financial nature – between Beijing and Moscow and right-wing, neo-fascist groups in Italy, Germany, Hungary and other countries are well-known and documented. Investigative and independent journalism and reporting have made sure that these corrupt relations to be revealed. Recently there were arrests and accusations of corruption and indeed treason. A recent (very) bizzare case evolved around successful attempts of China’s Communist Party (CCP) to ‘employ’ politicians from the right-wing extremist party Alternative für Deutschland (AFD) to spread Chinese propaganda and fake news.

Finally, there are Chinese embassies and consulates in Europe (and elsewhere obviously) and their ‘wolf-warrior diplomats’ who are under orders to intervene European politics and decision-making. All this more often than not are in violation of international diplomatic protocol and customs. Indeed, Chinese diplomats – both the ‘wolf-warriors’ and ‘conventional’ types – have demonstrated so ‘impressively’ that universally accepted and respected boundaries do not – or at least so they think - apply to them. It is time to get tough and execute the rule of law worthy of self-respecting democracies. Diplomacy is a vital and indeed central element of international relations, but diplomats have to behave like diplomats or board a flight back home, period. Beijing has encouraged aggressive behaviour by its diplomats abroad by e.g. offering promotions and additional perks and privileges. Having said that, Chinese diplomats should still be invited to present their objectively wrong views and propaganda on European television and other media. Nothing is more ‘convincing’ than diplomats and/or politicians presenting false facts and fake news to convince audience: false and non-sensical. ‘Give them enough rope to hang themselves’, if you will. However, this only works when well educated audience is able to separate fact from fiction in front of the TV or the computer screen. Unfortunately, the rise of right-wing and extremist parties and groups in Europe’s landscape have been increasingly seen over the past years.

Now what? Keep a very close eye on disinformation and fake news spread by authoritarian countries and their media outlets and diplomats - using both articifical and human intelligence, preferably. Freedom of speech and expression are sacred in democracies and must be protected. Disinformation and misinformation should be filtered into spam folder and the trash. How about that for starters?