Conspiracy theorists are trying to influence European election campaigns with disinformation and lies. Much of the fabrication comes from Moscow, but plenty is homegrown.

If media campaigns in more than a dozen European countries were to be believed, the European Union (EU) intends to force citizens to eat insects instead of meat.

The claim has touched nerves, especially in Italy, where variations of it have been revived and splashed across billboards during European elections to pit Brussels against mama’s special sauce.

But consumers of this claim are being fed pure nonsense, an example of countless fabrications launched or adopted by candidates seeking political gain at the cost of the truth.

The fake insect-food narrative, which first surfaced last year in a number of EU countries, has proven so popular with malign actors both within and outside the bloc that they’ve brought it back for the European election cycle to try to discredit pro-EU candidates.

But no one should be surprised that malignant actors want to impact Europe’s election cycle, with 720 seats up for grabs for the next five-year term in the European Parliament and many national elections taking place simultaneously as part of a record year for elections worldwide.

The EDMO reports a record-high amount of disinformation ahead of the vote about universally controversial issues like migration, agricultural policy and climate change, including even the resurrection of fake stories from years past, such as COVID-19 conspiracies.

  • VeganPizza69 Ⓥ@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    🙄

    I love how you think that I didn’t read it. As if you can imagine what’s in my head. Very disappointing for a so called skeptic.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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      5 months ago

      If you didn’t read it, it’s weird that you thought it supported your point when it actually did the exact opposite.

      So you were purposefully undermining yourself?

      • VeganPizza69 Ⓥ@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        So you were purposefully undermining yourself?

        Because I wanted to give you some leeway to understand the some of nuances in this complex issue.

        The fact that you’re trying to accuse me of NOT CHERRY PICKING THE MOST FAVORABLE ARTICLES is exceedingly disappointing.