A wave of coordinated bot attacks has targeted independent journalists and media outlets in Serbia, leading to the suspension or deletion of key Instagram accounts. Photojournalists Irena Radosavljević and Gavrilo Andrić, outlets including Nova.rs and OzonPress, and weekly publication Radar were hit by mass reporting from fake profiles. Some accounts were suspended for months, while others were removed entirely, enabling impersonation and harming credibility. The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) documented multiple incidents and urged Meta to strengthen protections for independent media. Although some accounts were later restored, concerns remain that such attacks will continue amid a prolonged political crisis. ARTICLE 19 warns that coordinated digital harassment poses a serious threat to media freedom and public access to reliable information, calling for greater platform accountability and sustained support for independent journalism. Read more here.
Source: ARTICLE 19