Case Study
Information Front:
The Ecosystem of Disinformation and Propaganda in Lithuanian Media
Problem
Lithuania’s information space is shaped by a systemic and adaptive disinformation ecosystem - not isolated false content. Narratives emerge across fragmented platforms, move through local intermediaries, and adapt to different audiences, making them appear organic and credible.
High-emotion environments - especially comment sections and short-form video - amplify polarization, conspiracy thinking, and hate speech. Coordinated campaigns and cross-platform spillover turn disinformation into a self-sustaining system, while traditional monitoring remains reactive and unable to capture narrative dynamics.
Our Research
We focused on where disinformation is most actively formed and absorbed: social media comments and short-form video.
Comments reveal real-time audience reactions and expose coordinated behaviour, including repetitive “copy-paste” campaigns. Short-form platforms like TikTok accelerate reach and emotional impact.
Using Deep Video Analysis, we assessed speech, visuals, and narrative framing. Telegram was analysed as a key upstream channel, where narratives originate and spread in semi-closed networks.
Findings
Lithuania’s information space is shaped by a coordinated, multi-platform disinformation ecosystem rather than isolated content.
This ecosystem is structured, not random: Telegram serves as the origin of geopolitical narratives (with ≥54% pro-Kremlin content), which are then amplified and justified on Facebook and YouTube, where emotional engagement drives polarization, while TikTok and other short-form video platforms accelerate emotional responses and host the highest levels of hate speech, particularly among younger audiences. These narratives continuously circulate, adapt, and reinforce each other across platforms.
Crucially, influence is localized and disguised, as narratives are spread through local intermediaries, increasing both their credibility and resilience. This enables systemic manipulation of public discourse, where coordinated campaigns (such as “peace” framing) align with strategic objectives, antisemitism and conspiracy narratives are deeply embedded (reaching up to 47%), and polarization is actively engineered to eliminate neutral ground.
The highest-risk vectors are comment sections and short-form video, with comments serving as the primary battleground for narrative uptake and short-form content acting as the fastest and most emotionally effective distribution channel.
While traditional media remains largely resilient, a critical strategic gap persists: institutions operate reactively, whereas adversarial narratives are adaptive, predictive, and ahead of the cycle.
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Dominyka Bernotaitė,
Head of Sales