Graphika In The News: Alabuga Start Programme and South African Influencers

The Alabuga Start Programme, a Russian work study organization, has long been the subject of reports of false promises made to African youth under the guise of stable employment abroad.

Now, a report from The Daily Telegraph is examining how South African influencers - some with millions of followers - have promoted the program on their social media platforms.

The article notes that distrust of traditional media outlets and high youth unemployment means that armed with a smartphone, such "entrepreneurial giants of Africa's digital scene" can "monetise through sponsorships and endorsements."

Graphika Senior Investigator Jean le Roux spoke with The Daily Telegraph about this online activity and detailed the dangers behind it.

"It becomes dangerous when you have specific actors stepping in and paying people to promote things that can cause harm," he said. “They operate in this kind of grey space where they are not quite a big advertiser, but they are also getting paid to distribute these messages and that is often unregulated.”

He also cited past investigations that had found influencers willing to sell their hefty youth clout to political parties during election campaigns.

In the case of South African influencers and the Alabuga Start Programme, many of those involved have since deleted their posts and apologized to their followings. But The Daily Telegraph notes it's part of a trend showing that Russia has proven to be skilled at courting or co-opting the reach of similar influencers in Africa to spread messages and propaganda, particularly among young audiences.

Graphika delivers continuous insights into evolving online threats and narratives -- including on Russian state actors. Subscribers receive ongoing monitoring of the narratives promoted and tactics used by Russian state actors, as well as the communities engaging with them, across a wide range of social platforms and online sources.

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