Doppelgänger Websites are fake websites that imitate trusted news sources to spread propaganda.
They use cloned designs and similar URLs to fool readers into believing lies come from reputable outlets. 🧵
#DoppelgängerWebsites #FightDisinformation
They use cloned designs and similar URLs to fool readers into believing lies come from reputable outlets. 🧵
#DoppelgängerWebsites #FightDisinformation
Comments
https://www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/a-well-funded-moscow-based-global
🔹 Create a site that looks like BBC, CNN, or another trusted source
🔹 Use similar logos, fonts, layouts
🔹 Publish fake stories or distorted “news” to mislead readers
👉 If a link looks familiar but slightly off — double-check the URL
🔹In 2022, pro-Russian actors launched sites mimicking major Western outlets
🔹Fake BBC, Der Spiegel, and Guardian sites pushed pro-Kremlin narratives
🔹Aimed to discredit Ukraine and undermine Western unity
👉 The site looked real — the content was poison
🔹 People trust the look of familiar brands
🔹 Fast reading, quick clicks — few check the URL carefully
🔹 Fake stories get screenshotted and spread beyond the site
👉 A good disguise fools even the skeptical for a moment
🔹 Fake CNN sites used to spread disinfo on NATO
🔹 Imitation French media sites shared anti-EU narratives
🔹 Cyberwarfare operations in the Middle East have used cloned media outlets to mislead populations
👉 It’s not just hacking — it’s narrative warfare
🔹 Check URLs carefully — small typos or strange domain endings
🔹 Look for low-quality writing or suspicious headlines
🔹 Verify through official sites or trusted fact-checkers
👉 One letter off in the web address can flip truth into lies
🔹 Never rely on screenshots alone
🔹 Bookmark official news sites and use them directly
🔹 Report suspicious sites to cybersecurity organizations
👉 Vigilance stops digital impersonation from spreading
I saw how Mis & Disinformation worked. No one ever said Ukraine was too corrupt. But I watched these websites be used as a platform for mis & disinformation to get spread around. That was just 1 out of many.