In the lead-up to the recent significant influx of migrants to Europe, a brief video shared on Instagram gained immense popularity with 1.4 million views. The video depicted a young man partially submerged in water, followed by a view of land in the distance with a map illustrating a sea route from Fnideq, Morocco, to Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa. The account holder later confirmed their arrival in the comments section.
This video was just one of many viral posts across platforms like Instagram and TikTok that seemed to contribute to organizing two waves of irregular migration from Morocco to Ceuta. The latest attempt on August 15 resulted in numerous arrests.
These accounts are part of various online communities focusing on migration-related content, including music, memes, and images. Some of these accounts seem to exploit the aspirations of predominantly African and Middle Eastern youth seeking better opportunities overseas.
While there is debate among governments and organizations regarding whether a single entity orchestrated the events in Ceuta or if migration was manipulated for geopolitical purposes, it is evident that misinformation spread by multiple online communities played a significant role in driving the migration waves towards Ceuta this summer.
Investigations by CBC’s visual team, in collaboration with Sebastian Vandermeersch of Bellingcat, identified numerous social media accounts, particularly on Instagram, that were active prior to the first wave on July 30. Misinformation about a Spanish court ruling supposedly allowing migrants arriving by sea to stay fueled a surge in posts, attracting millions of views and ultimately resulting in over 72,000 people crossing the border on July 30.
While most of those who crossed in July have returned to Morocco, approximately 5,000 individuals remain in Ceuta, with nearly 100 casualties reported during the crossing attempts. The impact of misinformation on social media, as highlighted by Moustafa Ayad from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, underscores the real-world consequences when targeting individuals seeking solutions in a vulnerable state.
Social media accounts directed followers to WhatsApp chats for planning crossings and shared tips on reaching Ceuta. Some accounts even offered advice directly through their posts. The spread of misinformation prompted Meta and TikTok to collaborate on fact-checking posts to prevent criminal organizations from exploiting migrants for profit.
A subsequent wave of posts emerged before August 15, promoting it as another opportunity for entry into Spain. Accounts involved in the July 30 crossing, along with new ones, were active leading up to this date. The messages often hinted at significant events happening on August 15, prompting hundreds or more individuals to head to the border from Morocco.
Moroccan and Spanish authorities were prepared for the August 15 attempt, with thousands of police deployed on both sides of the border and nearly 300 migrants arrested. The government had been monitoring social media posts encouraging the crossing and vowed to take action against those responsible.
The online surge was fueled by the fact that migrants had previously managed to reach Ceuta successfully. The Mixed Migration Centre noted an increase in migrants using Ceuta as the primary entry point into Spain, likely due to stricter controls on other migration routes.
Despite the role of social media in shaping misinformation, it is essential to recognize that the desire to migrate is inherent and not solely influenced by online content. The desperation and disillusionment among young people in North Africa and beyond are evident in the accounts identified, which often portray migration in a positive light.
The accounts, many originating from North African countries, Italy, and Turkey, use imagery and language that romanticize migration. They hint at various European destinations without explicitly offering passage. These accounts attract followers by portraying migration as a search for opportunity and a better life abroad.
Influencer-style accounts with similar themes attract thousands of followers, featuring images related to the Fnideq-to-Ceuta route. Despite attempts to contact accounts related to the July 30 and August 15 waves, no responses were received.