Parliament should set up an ad hoc commission to unmask the link between political parties and fake accounts spreading disinformation

The practice of organized and large-scale spread of misleading, fake and propagandistic information by the Russian state is a broadly known and recognized problem all over the world. There is a huge number of examples of evidence-based research into the interference with the politics of foreign countries using Russian accounts, in particular, the artificial manipulation with the issue of the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union and large-scale dissemination of false and fake information in favour of and justification of the so-called Brexit, the interference with the US presidential election 2016, the exertion of unacceptable influence on public opinion by manipulating fake information, etc. The European Parliament has responded to the problem of spreading online disinformation and implemented the actions to tackle the problem.

Dissemination of fake news, especially when it is organized by the government of the occupying state, poses serious risks to the security of our country, aims at inflicting serious damage on the Georgian state and society, and hampers its development on the path to the European future. Even more alarming are the suspicions about an alleged connection of the ruling government of Georgia with fake accounts.

Democratic states are taking concrete actions to combat misinformation, and it is of utmost importance that the Georgian government, as well as all relevant responsible agencies, should take specific steps to neutralize the threats posed by the spread of misinformation. To this end, the Parliament of Georgia has a primary and specific role.

The fact that misinformation and propaganda is a pressing issue Georgia is currently facing has been also confirmed by a study conducted by the Thematic Investigation Group set up in the Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee in early 2019. The aim of the research was to analyze the main challenges and problems in the country regarding disinformation and propaganda, and to prepare recommendations for the government. The conclusion was reviewed by the Foreign Relations Committee in March 2020. Yet, nothing has been known so far whether the recommendations for the Parliament are being implemented. The recommendations are as follows:

• Georgia can learn from the experience of partner countries (the USA, European countries) and invite, within a public format, representatives of social networks (Facebook, Google, etc.) and other relevant organizations that play a critical role in dealing with misinformation and propaganda;
• The Parliament should hold discussions regarding hybrid threats, aka on issues related to misinformation and disinformation and if necessary, the talks may be transformed into a more in-depth process and acquire the form of an investigative commission, given the scale and importance of the issue.

So far, a number of studies have been published on the impact of fake Facebook accounts that spread false, misleading and artificially generated information on political processes in Georgia. It has been reported that the Georgian society is being manipulated in the above manner by subjects that are associated with the Russian state, as well as those closely connected with the government of the Georgian Dream and the United National Movement. Based on the findings of relevant studies, the company Facebook has decided for the second time already in the last four months to cancel hundreds of inauthentic accounts operating in Georgia.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of the Georgian parliamentary majority, linked the cancellation of fake accounts, pages and groups by Facebook to the United National Movement, and immediately without any further examination or investigation, ruled out the involvement of the Georgian Dream government in spreading misinformation.

In a democratic society, parliament has several key roles and functions, among which is to ensure political debates on important issues for the public and control the government. Therefore, it is unacceptable such a high-profile issue to remain beyond the parliamentary debate.

We call on the Parliament of Georgia to set up an ad hoc investigative commission to enable the Parliament to examine the issue in detail and provide the answers to the following questions:

• How are political parties linked to the widespread dissemination of misinformation and information manipulation? Which of their representatives is responsible for these actions?
• How close are the ties between the Russian disinformation and propaganda with organized disseminators of false information in Georgia?
• How is the process of organizing the dissemination of misinformation financed? And is there any evidence of purposeful use of state budget funds to this end?
• Apart from the representatives of the named parties, who else is involved in the process of hindering the democratic development of Georgia by spreading misinformation and fake news?

With the view to studying the issue within the ad hoc investigative commission, the Parliament has broad powers, namely, it can:

• Invite and require a written explanation from any person, except in cases provided by law and Rules of Procedure;
• Obtain all necessary reports and data from state bodies, officials, individuals and legal entities within the timeframes determined by the special commission;
• Bring the issue to the attention of the relevant state control body in order to obtain information on the issue under consideration;
• Review the materials of criminal cases, if it is believed that the data necessary for the investigation of the issue in question may be obtained from such files;
• Set up a working group with the involvement of commission members and invited experts to find the solution to the problem;
• Invite representatives of Facebook and other social networks to analyze and discuss the possibility of applying the transparency regulations imposed by these organizations on Georgia;
• Prepare a conclusion providing answers to the research questions as well as recommendations, including in terms of the need for introducing amendments at the legislative level.

The issue of establishing an ad hoc commission can be initiated by the Chairperson of the Parliament, a committee, a faction, and at least 1/5 of the members of the Parliament. Of particular importance in the current situation is the active participation of the parliamentary opposition as well as independent MPs towards whom there are no suspicions of them involved in the dissemination of misinformation.

Setting up the ad hoc commission is necessary not only for providing the answers to pressing issues but also for ensuring the protection of the upcoming parliamentary elections against voter influence and public opinion manipulation.