German secret service operates fake accounts to lure ‘right-wing extremists’

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution apparently maintains fake accounts in social networks, which serve the purpose of creating a certain mood.

Online hate speech in the pay of the state

As the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reported, the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is now running hundreds of fake right-wing extremist online accounts. Massive investments have been made in the campaign since 2019. That means: Agents paid by the state – i.e. financed from tax money – bully and agitate on social media, and are even allowed to commit crimes.

There are said to be so many that they have to coordinate in order not to shadow each other while they increase the record of alleged “right-wing extremist crimes”, mostly “propaganda crimes” actually.

What do they do?

These agents post racist slogans on migrants as well as hated “system politicians” and “traitors to the people”.

In addition to supposedly right-wing chat groups, the professional “troll group” primarily targets social media channels of Islamist, but also the “ideological conspiracy” milieu.

In order to gain the trust of other users, you have to come across as authentic as possible. “In order to be really credible, it’s not enough to share or like statements from others, you also have to make statements yourself. That means that the agents also bully and agitate.”

According to the agent, many victims of these infiltration methods had no idea how many accounts in their chat groups are now being run by agents for the protection of the constitution.

There are now so many fake accounts operated by the authority that nationwide agreements are necessary. Otherwise, they could target each other. But there is no doubt that the enormous mass of fake accounts is necessary, according to the Secret Service.

Over time, there is a growing danger among the fake right-wingers that they may become convinced by the ideas and slogans they simulate seriously and “succumb to the narratives there themselves”. A high-ranking spy officer conceded to the SZ: “Anyone who moves in a ‘closed worldview’ all day long must always work to keep their distance.”

The system’s ‘divide and conquer’ strategy

The fact that the “Alpine Pravda” as the SZ is known, is now coming out with this news, is presumably about possible coming unrest, because the system fears protests in autumn and a subsequent “winter of anger”. By spreading information about “countless spies”, they are trying to fuel a situation in which dissidents accuse each other of working for the state.

It is in essence a divide and rule strategy, an ancient principle of sowing distrust.

‘EU has instruments against right-wing parties’

In fact, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) has confidently alluded to such “tools” that the EU has at its disposal. She spoke of certain measures against Italy in view of the possible victory of the right-wing parties in the parliamentary elections on Sunday. “We will see the result of the vote in Italy. If things go in a difficult direction, we have tools like in the case of Poland and Hungary,” she said.

Not only online infiltration, but rule-of-law mechanisms provide for money cuts for member states that violate “EU values”. Such proceedings have been under way against Hungary since April.

Von der Leyen’s comment met with outrage

The leader of the conservative-leaning Lega, Matteo Salvini, was outraged by the statement made by the Commission President. It was a “disgusting and arrogant threat” against his country. Von der Leyen represents all Europeans and is also paid by them. According to the Ansa news agency, the Lega MPs in the EU Parliament now want to have the statement checked. The CDU politician should apologize for making such threats, he said.

In recent polls, an alliance of Lega and the right-wing party Fratelli d’Italia is way ahead. The leader of the latter, Giorgia Meloni, is its lead candidate.

Von der Leyen threatens the Italians: “We will see the result of the vote in Italy. If things go in a difficult direction, we have tools, as in the case of Poland and Hungary.” A desperate attempt to influence the vote in Italy that runs towards the far right. Game over Ursula! pic.twitter.com/MhkaiQus9x

— RadioGenova (@RadioGenova) September 23, 2022