Draft:Ciberclarias

• Comment: Hello, subjects are presumed to be notable when they have received significant coverage in multiple published secondary sources that are reliable, intellectually independent of each other, and independent of the subject. Youtube videos can't be used to support a notability claim.
  Also re: the ProPublica source you have - I can't find any works by searching that title, and neither the url you provided nor the wayback machine is working for me - which I find unlikely for a work published online in a prestigious newspaper in 2022 (typically those are all archived multiple times over). I did find a piece from ProPublica about Russian troll farms but it doesn't mention Cuba at all, so if that is the source it shouldn't be used to support this statement, as you have currently: "According to several investigative reports, the tactics employed by ciberclarias resemble those used by Russian troll farms, such as the Internet Research Agency (IRA)"
  Furthermore, I think this draft's neutrality would benefit from discussion of the other side of the fence as well. Has the Cuban government or its supporters made any official statements about this topic? You don't have to give undue weight, but if sourcing exists it should be mentioned. Especially in a possibly contentious topic area, it's important to present information without bias and ensure that all the statements are carefully backed up by good sources.
  Thank you, Zzz plant (talk) 22:37, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

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{{Infobox internet phenomenon}}

Ciberclarias (singular: ciberclaria) is a Cuban term used to refer to individuals who operate online accounts—real or fake—dedicated to disseminating propaganda in support of the Cuban government and attacking its critics. These activities are typically coordinated or incentivized by state entities.

The term derives from the claria (Clarias gariepinus), an invasive fish species introduced to Cuba, and is metaphorically used to describe the spread of these propaganda activities across digital platforms.

Origin and development

The emergence of ciberclarias is linked to the expansion of internet access in Cuba beginning in 2013. Investigations have identified the University of Information Sciences (UCI) as a key center for training these digital operatives.^[1]

Reports suggest that many of these individuals underwent expedited postgraduate programs at the José Antonio Echeverría Technological University of Havana (CUJAE) and subsequently received additional training abroad, particularly in China.^[2]

Objectives and activities

Ciberclarias pursue several main objectives:

• Disseminating official state propaganda and amplifying pro-government messaging.
• Creating the illusion of widespread popular support for the Cuban government and its leaders.
• Defaming and harassing opposition groups, activists, journalists, and artists.^[3]

The term has also become popularized as a denunciation hashtag: #CiberClaria.^[4]

International dimension and comparison

The tactics of ciberclarias share similarities with state-sponsored digital manipulation operations elsewhere, notably Russia’s Internet Research Agency (IRA)^[5]. In Cuba, ciberclarias use fake profiles to promote propaganda and attack critics.^[6] Similarly, the IRA employs fake accounts to influence elections and sow discord, as documented during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the war in Ukraine.^[7] Both rely on fake accounts, coordinated messaging, and disinformation campaigns to influence public opinion and suppress dissent. While the IRA operates globally, ciberclarias focus on domestic Cuban issues, but both reflect a global trend of state-driven digital influence.

There have been allegations of training exchanges and tactical learning between Cuban state entities and Russian operatives, especially in the context of digital influence operations.^[8]

Official Cuban government stance

The Cuban government has consistently denied involvement in social media manipulation. In 2021, following protests, it attributed social media activity to external interference, particularly from the United States..^[9] In December 2024, President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged that the government and official media are "disapproved" on social media, reflecting public discontent but not admitting to manipulation efforts.^[10] Critics, however, cite the government’s digital surveillance and control over internet infrastructure as evidence of its role in these operations.

Public denunciations and impact

Prominent Cuban cultural figures, such as Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, have publicly denounced ciberclarias for orchestrating harassment campaigns on social media.^[11]

Activists, YouTubers, and Cuban citizens have also reported coordinated online attacks carried out by ciberclarias.^[12]

Responses and countermeasures

Several civic initiatives have emerged to identify and report ciberclaria accounts. One notable example is the website LasCiberclarias.com, which compiles user reports of suspected activity.^[13]

Human rights organizations and independent media outlets have also raised concerns about the role of ciberclarias in repressing digital dissent and undermining freedom of expression in Cuba.^[14]

See also

• Internet troll
• State-sponsored propaganda
• Russian web brigades
• Censorship in Cuba
• Freedom of expression in Cuba

References

1. ""Ciberclarias", an army invading social media with fake accounts". CubaNet. May 21, 2019.
2. "Who Pays the Ciberclarias?". YouTube. 2021.
3. "Revealed guidelines for "ciberclarias" trollers". Radio Televisión Martí. 2021.
4. "#CiberClariaAlert: Fishing season for ciberclarias has begun!". ADN Cuba. 2021.
5. "How Russia's Troll Farm Flooded Social Media". ProPublica. 2022.
6. "Cuba: Freedom on the Net 2024 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
7. Nakashima, Ellen (2019-02-26). "U.S. Cyber Command operation disrupted Internet access of Russian troll factory on day of 2018 midterms". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
8. "Cuba's Digital Influence Operations: A Growing Threat". CircleID. March 18, 2020.
9. Marsh, Sarah. "Faced with rare protests, Cuba curbs social media access, watchdog says". Reuters.
10. "Díaz-Canel acknowledges that the government and official media are "disapproved" on social media". CiberCuba. 2024-12-21. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
11. "Arturo Sandoval warns Cuban "ciberclarias" that "truth will prevail"". CiberCuba. February 27, 2021.
12. "Letter from a "worm" to a "ciberclaria"". YouTube. 2021.
13. "Las Ciberclarias". LasCiberclarias.com. 2021.
14. "Cuban creates website to identify regime-linked "ciberclarias"". Radio and Television Martí. 2021.

References