Cyabra Exposes Coordinated Disinformation Campaign Targeting Portuguese Election
In a groundbreaking investigation, Cyabra, a leading AI-powered disinformation detection platform, has unveiled a sophisticated manipulation campaign designed to influence the outcome of Portugal’s recent general election. The report, titled "Fake Voices, Real Votes," and prominently featured by CNN Portugal, reveals a coordinated effort to bolster the far-right Chega party while simultaneously undermining its political rivals through the use of fake social media profiles and bot networks. Cyabra’s analysis, covering the period from April 14 to May 14, 2025, uncovered extensive manipulation of online discourse, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the democratic process.
The investigation revealed a startling level of inauthentic activity surrounding Chega’s online presence. A staggering 58% of the accounts commenting on the party’s official X (formerly Twitter) account were identified as fake, artificially inflating the perception of public support. This tactic, designed to create a false sense of momentum and grassroots enthusiasm, represents a significant threat to the integrity of online political discourse.
Moreover, the disinformation campaign extended beyond Chega’s own platform, targeting the Socialist (PS) and Social Democratic (PSD) parties. Cyabra found that 49% of the profiles commenting on posts from these rival parties were also fake, engaging in coordinated attacks against their leaders while subtly promoting Chega within the same threads. This cross-campaign promotion, combined with the amplification of false narratives and malicious attacks, painted a clear picture of a concerted effort to manipulate public opinion and sway voter sentiment.
The fake profiles, operating in concert, disseminated disinformation specifically targeting Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos and PSD’s Luís Montenegro. The spread of conspiracy theories, alongside rhetoric exploiting economic anxieties and anti-immigration sentiment, aimed to discredit these opposition figures and create an environment favorable to Chega’s rise. The coordinated nature of these attacks, coupled with the consistent promotion of Chega across multiple campaigns, provides compelling evidence of a strategic manipulation operation.
Cyabra’s report highlights the growing sophistication and pervasiveness of online disinformation campaigns, particularly in the context of democratic elections. The findings emphasize the urgent need for robust monitoring and detection mechanisms to safeguard the integrity of political discourse and protect against manipulation that undermines the democratic process. This operation in Portugal serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in the digital age and underscores the importance of critical media literacy and fact-checking in navigating the complexities of online information.
The investigation in Portugal represents the latest in Cyabra’s global efforts to support election integrity. In 2024 alone, a pivotal year for elections worldwide, Cyabra collaborated with 19 democracies to monitor and protect their electoral processes from similar manipulation tactics. This dedication to preserving the integrity of democratic institutions underscores Cyabra’s commitment to combating disinformation and ensuring fair and transparent elections in an increasingly complex digital landscape. Furthermore, Cyabra’s recent business combination agreement with Trailblazer Merger Corporation I (NASDAQ: TBMC) positions the company for continued growth and innovation in the fight against online disinformation. This partnership will further enhance Cyabra’s ability to develop and deploy cutting-edge AI solutions to protect democracies and organizations from the escalating threat of online manipulation.