An investigation has revealed that scores of apparently fake social media accounts are promoting Azerbaijan’s hosting of the COP29 climate summit, drowning out critical voices. Analysis by Global Witness found that the majority of these accounts appeared after July, at a time when seven of the top 10 posts using #COP29 and #COP29Azerbaijan criticized Azerbaijan’s environmental record and its conflict with Armenia. However, by September, all top posts came from the official COP29 Azerbaijan account, boosting the country’s image.
The climate summit, starting November 11, is expected to focus on significant cuts in fossil fuel emissions to mitigate severe climate change. However, Azerbaijan, a nation rich in fossil fuel resources, plans to increase its gas production by 50% in the next decade. The Global Witness report warns that the artificially increased reach of Azerbaijan’s government posts suppresses independent scrutiny of the country’s climate and human rights record. The strategy resembles a similar campaign seen before COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, where numerous inauthentic accounts defended the UAE as host.
Ava Lee, a spokesperson from Global Witness, highlighted the importance of maintaining genuine dialogue on climate issues. “A network of seemingly inauthentic accounts are replacing rightful criticism with flowery positivity,” she said. She urged X to restore authentic discourse on such critical global issues. The investigation revealed 71 suspicious accounts, most of which were created since May and used nature-themed images in profile pictures. Many of these accounts showed coordinated activity, with multiple profiles posting in a controlled sequence, suggesting one individual might be managing them. An additional 111 accounts displayed similar supportive messaging but without nature-themed imagery.
At the time of publication, some accounts had been suspended for violating X’s guidelines, while others faced temporary restrictions for unusual activity. A spokesperson for X confirmed that the flagged accounts had been actioned and assured that safety teams were continuously working to detect inauthentic behavior.
Azerbaijan’s history of deploying inauthentic accounts was also noted by Meta in 2022, where a network linked to the Azeri Ministry of Internal Affairs targeted activists, journalists, and government critics, though the operation was deemed unsophisticated. Azerbaijan’s ministry of foreign affairs and COP29 organizers did not respond to requests for comment.