Social media giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has recently taken down a network of accounts originating from China that engaged in coordinated inauthentic behavior. This operation, dubbed "Operation K," sought to influence global discussions about the Sikh community, particularly in the wake of the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, and promote the Khalistan movement, a separatist movement advocating for an independent Sikh state.
The network utilized a complex strategy involving 37 Facebook accounts, 13 pages, five groups, and nine Instagram accounts. Posing as a fictitious activist movement, they aimed to incite pro-Khalistan demonstrations, primarily targeting audiences in New Zealand and Australia.
Meta's latest Quarterly Adversarial Threat Report reveals that Operation K's activities extended beyond Meta's platforms, also targeting the Sikh community on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter). This operation has been linked to a similar network disrupted by Meta in early 2023, which was attributed to an unidentified Chinese entity and focused on India and Tibet.
The network employed a technique known as "amplification clusters," consisting of fake accounts that interacted with each other's content to create an illusion of widespread support for their messaging. Their tactics included manipulating news and current events, using images that were likely altered or AI-generated, and promoting pro-Khalistan narratives.
This incident raises serious concerns about foreign interference in Indian affairs, particularly through social media manipulation, and the potential exploitation of the Khalistan movement for geopolitical purposes. Meta's actions highlight the ongoing efforts by social media platforms to combat such activities, but the existence of sophisticated networks like Operation K underscores the continuous need for vigilance in the digital age.
