In the digital age, the battle for public opinion is increasingly fought through sophisticated manipulation tactics orchestrated by nefarious nation-state actors and far-Left non-governmental organizations (NGOs). These entities deploy paid social media influencers, fake accounts, and artificial intelligence (AI) bots to create the illusion of widespread support for their causes, undermining truth and sowing discord. This insidious practice distorts reality, misleads the public, and erodes trust in democratic processes.
By examining specific examples—such as the manufactured support for the Islamic Republic of Iran against the United States, the amplification of pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian narratives in the West, the fabricated backing for anti-ICE demonstrations in the US, the propagandizing of the transgender movement, and the contrived fissures within the MAGA movemen—it is easy to understand why these practices, and those who fund and employ them, should be viciously condemned and exposed for these deceptive strategies.
Since US military actions against Iran’s regime in June 2025, a wave of disinformation has flooded social media, falsely portraying widespread support for the Islamic Republic among Persian-Iranians and global audiences. State-sponsored actors, particularly Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and entities like the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), have been implicated in spreading AI-generated videos and images.
For instance, BBC Verify reported that fake AI videos, amassing over 100 million views, falsely depicted Persian-Iranians chanting anti-American slogans and exaggerated the success of Iran’s missile strikes on US bases. These fabrications aim to bolster the regime’s image domestically and internationally, creating a hyperreality where Iran’s military prowess and public support appear unassailable.
The IRGC, backed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has long championed cyberspace as a frontier for Iran’s “information jihad,” funds these operations. The Alavi Foundation, a New York-based organization with multimillion-dollar budgets, also plays a pivotal role by funneling funds to US-based entities that propagate Tehran’s anti-American and pro-Palestinian narratives. These efforts, often masked as grassroots movements, manipulate public perception to counter US actions, deceiving audiences into believing Iran enjoys broad support.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has been a fertile ground for disinformation, with far-Left NGOs and state actors like Iran and its proxies—Hamas and Hezbollah—using social media to inflate pro-Palestinian sentiment in Western mainstream discourse. The New York Times described the Gaza war as triggering a “deluge of online propaganda,” with Iran, Russia, and China deploying state media and covert campaigns to support Hamas and amplify anti-Israeli rhetoric.
For example, fake videos, including one claiming to show Hamas fighters destroying Israeli military equipment, were traced to Iran-backed accounts and garnered millions of views. These clips, often sourced from video games like Arma 3, exploit the fog of war to create viral narratives. Additionally, AI-generated images depicting Palestinian civilians in distress, falsely attributed to Israeli actions, have been widely shared by accounts linked to Hezbollah’s cyber units, further fueling anti-Israeli sentiment.
Far-Left NGOs, such as those linked to the Soros-funded Open Society Foundations, have been accused of indirectly fueling these narratives by funding activist groups that amplify anti-Israeli rhetoric. In Europe, organizations like the Palestine Solidarity Campaign have used paid influencers to promote hashtags like #FreePalestine, creating the illusion of overwhelming grassroots support.
These coordinated efforts, blending state and non-state actors, create an illusion of widespread Western support for Hamas and Palestinian causes, drowning out moderate voices and polarizing public opinion.
In the United States, anti-Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) demonstrations have been amplified by similar tactics, with far-Left NGOs and foreign actors manipulating social media to exaggerate public support. Organizations like the Open Society Foundations and their grantees and individuals like Neville Singham have been linked to funding protests that portray ICE as inherently oppressive, often using paid influencers to push emotionally charged narratives. Iran has also been implicated in stoking these protests, with US intelligence assessments noting operatives posing as students to provide financial assistance and amplify anti-ICE sentiment online.
Fake accounts and AI bots, some traced to Iran’s cyber operations, flood platforms like X with hashtags and viral posts, creating the appearance of a grassroots uprising. A 2021 US Department of Justice indictment revealed Iran’s use of fake social media profiles, posing as American groups like the Proud Boys, to sow discord and promote anti-government narratives. These efforts mislead the public into believing anti-ICE sentiment is more widespread than it is, undermining law enforcement and fueling division.
The transgender movement has also been subject to manipulative propaganda, with far-Left NGOs and activist networks using social media to exaggerate the breadth of public support for transgender rights and policies. Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, backed by significant funding from groups like the Open Society Foundations, have been linked to campaigns that employ paid influencers and AI-driven content to amplify narratives around gender identity.
For instance, coordinated hashtag campaigns like #TransRightsAreHumanRights often trend due to bot-driven amplification, creating the illusion of overwhelming public consensus. These efforts include AI-generated testimonials and images of supposed transgender individuals sharing stories of acceptance, which are shared widely to evoke emotional responses and sway public opinion.
Foreign actors, including Russia-based cyber groups, have been implicated in amplifying these narratives to exploit cultural divisions in the West. A 2023 report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate noted that Russian disinformation networks used fake accounts to boost transgender-related content, portraying it as a wedge issue to deepen societal fractures. These campaigns, often funded through opaque channels, create a distorted perception of universal support for transgender policies, sidelining dissenting voices and framing opposition as fringe or hateful.
And lastly, but certainly not the end of the list of examples, the MAGA movement, typically unified in its support for Donald Trump, has been targeted by disinformation campaigns to create the illusion of internal division, particularly over US foreign policy in the Middle East. Posts on X, such as one by @suzylebo on June 19, 2025, allege that Russia and Iran fund thousands of bots masquerading as “America First” accounts to fracture MAGA and discredit Trump. These bots, including accounts like Noctis, push crisis narratives within minutes of breaking news, amplifying isolationist voices like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon, who advocate against US military involvement abroad while promoting pro-Palestinian talking points.
The Atlantic reported that MAGA luminaries like Marjorie Taylor Greene have been pitted against pro-establishment figures like Lindsey Graham, creating a false narrative of a split within Trump’s base. Iran’s operatives, alongside far-Left NGOs, exploit these tensions by deploying AI-generated content, such as fake videos of MAGA supporters chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, to amplify anti-Trump sentiment, falsely suggesting his supporters are abandoning him. The Alavi Foundation and similar entities fund these campaigns, leveraging their financial clout to manipulate perceptions and weaken Trump’s political coalition.
These manipulative tactics—deployed by state actors like Iran’s IRGC and IRIB, Russia’s cyber operatives, and enabled by deep-pocketed individuals like George and Alex Soros and Neville Singham, and organizations like the Alavi Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and activist groups like GLAAD—are a reprehensible assault on truth and democracy. By flooding social media with fake accounts, paid influencers, and AI-generated content, these entities create illusions of support that distort reality and polarize societies.
The use of such tactics to bolster Iran’s regime, amplify pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian narratives, inflate anti-ICE protests, exaggerate support for the transgender movement, and sow discord within the MAGA movement is not just deceptive but dangerous, risking real-world consequences like unrest, violence, and the loss of life.
To combat this propaganda, there are a few proactive steps individuals can take to spot manipulation:
Check Account Authenticity: Examine social media profiles for signs of inauthenticity, such as recent creation dates, repetitive posting patterns, or lack of personal details. Bots often have generic usernames or stolen profile pictures.
Verify Visual Content: Be skeptical of viral images or videos. Use reverse image search tools like Google Images or TinEye to trace their origins. AI-generated content may have subtle flaws, like unnatural lighting or distorted faces.
Cross-Reference Sources: Confirm claims by checking multiple reputable sources. Propaganda often relies on single, unverified posts that spread rapidly without substantiation.
Question Emotional Appeals: Influencer-driven propaganda often uses overly emotional language to provoke reactions. Pause and assess whether the content aligns with verified facts.
Monitor Posting Frequency: Bots and paid influencers may post at unnatural rates or in coordinated bursts. Tools like Botometer can help identify suspicious accounts.
The fight against digital deception demands collective resolve. By arming ourselves with critical thinking and these practical tools, we can pierce the veil of propaganda, expose the orchestrators of division, and reclaim a public square rooted in truth.
Let’s stand united against the manipulators, refusing to let their manufactured narratives fracture our societies or silence authentic voices. Only through vigilance and discernment can we safeguard democracy from the insidious grip of orchestrated lies.
Then, when we return, our segment on America’s Third Watch, broadcast nationally from our flagship station WGUL AM860 & FM93.7 in Tampa, Florida.
In The Name Of Freedom…
As we wrap up, let’s reflect on an important thought: free speech, truth, and open conversation; they aren’t just ideals—they’re the foundation, the cornerstone of a free world.
Without the freedom to speak, we lose the ability to challenge power or expose lies. Truth, pursued relentlessly, keeps us grounded in reality and allows us to guard against manipulation. And conversation? It’s how we bridge divides, refine ideas, and build trust. When these are silenced, societies fracture, and tyranny creeps in.
History shows that freedom thrives only where voices are heard, facts are debated, and dialogue flourishes. So, keep speaking to each other, keep seeking the truth, and connecting—it’s not just your right; it’s the main ingredient to freedom’s survival
Until next time…
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