Iran Uses AI-Generated Memes to Spread Propaganda to Non-News Audiences
Original: Iran’s AI memes are reaching people who don’t follow the news – and winning the propaganda war
Why This Matters
Demonstrates how AI-generated content is being weaponized for state propaganda campaigns
Iran's state-backed media groups are using AI-generated Lego-style rap videos to spread disinformation and antisemitic content on social media. The campaign, dubbed 'slopaganda,' has accumulated billions of views by targeting users who don't follow traditional news through humorous memes mocking Trump, Netanyahu, and US foreign policy.
Since February 2024, pro-Iranian media groups, particularly the X account Explosive Media, have flooded social media with AI-generated video content. The spokesperson for Explosive Media admitted to the BBC that the Iranian government is a client. These videos use Lego-style animation and rap soundtracks to mock Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and US foreign policy while spreading disinformation and antisemitic tropes. The content functions as 'Trojan horses,' using familiar internet culture references to reach politically uninvested audiences who wouldn't normally engage with war-related content. According to disinformation expert Emerson Brooking, the strategy targets millions of people whose understanding of international conflict comes only from social media feeds rather than traditional news sources.