9/24/21, 8:06 PM Radio Free Myanmar: Disinformation network spreads false news and hate speech | Frontier Myanmar Much of the recent RFM content seems to originate from one profile, Maung Maung, whose profile picture and cover photo both encourage people to vote for the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party. Although the account was only created in August, it has posted over 400 pieces of content attributed to RFM and is often the first place RFM content appears on Facebook. Maung Maung has been posting progressively more pro-military content. For example, on September 27 and 28, the account posted or shared 20 posts, all either pro-military and USDP or anti-NLD. Of those, nine were RFM content, and eight of these were original posts rather than shares. The account also shared two posts from official, verified USDP accounts during that time. Maung Maung frequently posts content from RFM that criticises, attacks and insults the NLD, often while spreading false information. On August 26, the account posted an RFM template falsely accusing the NLD of restarting the controversial China-backed Myitsone Dam, which was suspended nearly a decade ago. The post accused State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of “shamelessly lying” about the dam and called the NLD “our enemy”. In another post, Maung Maung shared an RFM template claiming falsely that under the NLD’s new tax law even a beggar with an income of K1 will be forced to pay 6 percent tax, leaving them with only 94 pya (K1 is equal to 100 pya). A collection of English and Myanmar-language posts from “Maung Maung”. The account posts photograph templates with RFM branding that look like screenshots of news articles. To avoid detection, it urges its followers to copy and paste rather than share them (Frontier) Although those posts were among the most widely shared on Maung Maung’s page, they were only shared 169 and 375 times, respectively. This appears to be deliberate: Maung Maung reminds its followers, “Don’t share my post – just copy and paste.” The account seems to be attempting to limit the amount of attention it gets directly, perhaps to avoid being shut down. Some users follow this advice, copying and pasting the content, allowing it to spread to an even larger audience without directly implicating Maung Maung. For example, a Facebook user named Thuya Kyaw shared an RFM template on September 3 claiming falsely that the NLD had banned food donations to monks on the full moon day of Waso, which he described as a crackdown on Buddhism. The post, which also claimed falsely that the NLD permitted exceptions to COVID-19 regulations for Muslim religious ceremonies, attracted nearly 4,000 shares and 1,400 likes. The same template, however, was published a day earlier by Maung Maung – visible to his friends only – and received just four shares. The accounts that go on to share Maung Maung’s content are usually friends with the page and sometimes interact in the comment sections of Maung Maung’s posts. https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/radio-free-myanmar-disinformation-network-spreads-false-news-and-hate-speech/ 3/9