The Telegraph: China, Russia, and Iran Spread Disinformation About Princess of Wales to Destabilize the United Kingdom
Russia, China, and Iran are actively spreading misinformation about the Princess of Wales, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. This is being done to intimidate and destabilize British society, reports The Telegraph.
High-ranking government officials, who wished to remain anonymous, told journalists that they are concerned about attempts by hostile states to spread unconfirmed conspiracy theories and rumours online about the health of Kate Middleton, who announced her cancer diagnosis on March 22nd and started chemotherapy. Internet trolls are actively targeting the princess for not disclosing her medical diagnosis. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed outrage at this behaviour and called for it to stop.
"One of the ways hostile states operate is by destabilizing the situation – whether it undermines the legitimacy of our elections or other institutions," noted a source in the British government. Additionally, it was reported that China and other unfriendly countries are resorting to other forms of online attacks.
A task force established by the government last year to protect the democratic integrity of the United Kingdom from foreign interference is currently considering various methods to combat the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories on the Internet.
It is expected that Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden will speak out about the threat of Chinese interference in British democracy. According to journalists, he will mention that China was behind the hacking of the electoral commission last year, during which hackers obtained data on 40 million voters.
The United Kingdom government is preparing to announce new sanctions against China following a wave of cyberattacks supported by that state against a group of senior parliamentarians and their colleagues.
It should be noted that the first sanctions by the United Kingdom against Chinese officials were announced in 2021 for systematic human rights abuses against Uighurs and other ethnic minority groups in China.
Last month, Britain imposed a wave of sanctions against Chinese companies accused of aiding Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Recall that on March 18th, Russian Telegram channels spread fake information about the death of King Charles III. This information was picked up and started spreading in several countries, although these data were disseminated without citing any credible sources.