Appendix A: The Pfizer Influencer Disinformation Operation

The report this appendix accompanies was published in The Startup in May 2021.

The Case of the Pfizer Pay-for-Say Disinformation Operation

A London-based PR agency that traces back to Moscow offered European influencers cash to attack brand name vaccines. A London-based PR agency is offering French influencers cash to launder disinformation about the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines. 1 Information laundering is when the source of information is concealed by the messenger, like when US outlets publish stories for foreign state-controlled media outlets.

e-rosalie.medium.com

The Case of the Pfizer Pay-for-Say Disinformation Operation

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The TikTok anti-protesting campaign

An earlier instance, similar to the pay-for-say Pfizer disinformation campaign, was reported in Russia. TikTok users reported being offered money to discourage people from protesting the wrongful imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

A TikTok video detailing the instructions for what to post, hashtags to use, payment amounts, and how long the payment would take.

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