Anthropic Uncovers AI‑Driven Disinformation Network Targeting the DRC

In September 2026, Anthropic revealed a covert operation that used AI to run 70 fake‑news sites and produce at least 318 articles about the eastern DRC conflict, Rwanda relations, and contested minerals. The content was amplified on X by coordinated accounts that mimicked legitimate outlets, allowing the stories to spread quickly in an environment where trust in news is already low. Anthropic traced the operation to the French advertising agency LKM Company, noting no evidence of direct government involvement. Local fact‑checkers in Kinshasa, such as Hobab Watukalusu of Soma Média Lab, warned that journalists lack the electricity, stable internet, and affordable tools needed to detect and verify such AI‑generated content. The report also highlighted how accusations of disinformation can be weaponised against reporters, citing the 2024 conviction of journalist Stanis Bujakera. The findings underscore the urgent need for independent, transparent regulatory mechanisms to prevent anti‑disinformation measures from becoming tools of press suppression.