In Punjab, where the scars of insurgency, police excesses and political manipulation run deep, Facebook has been weaponised to target the critics of the AAP-led state government.
Facebook pages and covert media outlets have targeted farm leaders, anti-drug crusaders, and Sikh activists, glorified the Bhagwat Mann administration and lionised Punjab police, particularly the Director General of Police (DGP).
Each of these groups that were targeted had rubbed the state government or its police the wrong way.
What emerges in our latest investigation is a troubling picture: an online propaganda operation by proxy Facebook pages and covert media outlets that are deeply in sync with the AAP-led government’s narratives.
Two Facebook pages alone have spent nearly ₹14 lakh on sponsored posts, memes, and videos against the AAP government’s critics.
So, who is funding these pages? And why does their content align so closely with the AAP government’s messaging?
Read the story by Sandeep Singh that brings to light the nexus and the use of proxy propaganda messaging to discredit critics of the government, create the illusion of widespread public support, and flood the digital space with positive content about the government.