Fake opposition ads on Facebook linked to Romanian firm ahead of Serbian vote
A report found dozens of Facebook pages running political ads that spread unverified claims against Serbia's opposition, many financed by a Romanian company.
Analysis uncovered 56 Facebook pages that circulated more than 91 political ads aimed at discrediting opposition groups ahead of Serbia's upcoming parliamentary election. The advertisements did not include the mandatory information about who paid for them, violating Meta's transparency rules. Funding was traced to Romanian lei, and a Craiova-based digital marketing company, B Mobile SRL, ran 34 of the sponsored posts.
Meta later removed 47 of the ads for lacking proper labeling. The pages posted over 800 short videos, many using AI-generated images and synthetic speech that sounded robotic, and some videos amassed millions of views. Individuals appearing in the clips, including a Romanian child-animator and a local councilor from the AUR party, said they had not consented to the use of their likenesses.
Why it matters
Undisclosed foreign-funded ads can distort voter perceptions in a key Balkan election.
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