Journalist Melih Bayram Dede argues that social media has structurally evolved into an environment highly vulnerable to disinformation, increasingly used as a large-scale tool for political and commercial manipulation. According to Dede, actors who operate without ethical concerns are now systematically attempting to influence and reshape societies through digital platforms.
Dede emphasizes that social media offers a fast, low-cost and highly targeted means of influence, making it attractive to a wide range of actors, from public institutions to private organizations. As a result, these platforms are no longer merely communication tools but have turned into strategic arenas for influence operations.
Cambridge Analytica: The first major case of organized disinformation
Recalling the London-based Cambridge Analytica scandal, Melih Bayram Dede notes that it was the first large-scale exposure of organized disinformation practices. The company played a significant role in the 2016 US presidential election and the Brexit referendum in the UK.
Approximately 50 million Facebook users’ personal data were unlawfully obtained and used to manipulate voter behavior. Dede describes the Cambridge Analytica case as “an organized form of wrongdoing aimed directly at undermining democratic decision-making.”
Team Jorge: A new-generation influence operation network
According to Melih Bayram Dede, the most striking structure to emerge after Cambridge Analytica is the Israel-based network known as “Team Jorge.” Identified in February 2023, the group operates under the company name Demoman International Ltd. and offers operational services through a software suite called AIMS (Advanced Impact Media Solutions).
Dede states that the network created nearly 30,000 multinational fake accounts designed to influence public opinion across different countries.
Fake profiles designed to look real
Dede explains that the AIMS software does not merely generate fake accounts but constructs them to appear authentic. These profiles are equipped with realistic profile photos, professions, interests, phone numbers, and even real credit card details.
Using this system, fake accounts can be created on platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, Amazon, Gmail, Telegram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Airbnb, and cryptocurrency platforms. Thousands of such accounts can be centrally managed and deployed through a single control panel.
Targeting voter behavior and public perception
Melih Bayram Dede points out that these systems are specifically designed to influence voter behavior, shape public opinion, and alter electoral preferences in targeted countries. Disinformation campaigns are customized to local contexts and disseminated automatically at scale.
The network is reportedly headquartered in Modi’in, approximately 30 kilometers from Tel Aviv. Its leader is a 51-year-old former Israeli special forces member who introduces himself as “Jorge,” whose real name is Tal Hanan.
Intelligence and psychological warfare expertise
According to Dede, Tal Hanan’s partners include Mashy Meidan, a 61-year-old former intelligence officer specializing in psychological warfare and influence operations, and Zohar Hanan, a 55-year-old former intelligence operative and the company’s apparent CEO, with expertise in hired hacking, influence campaigns, and lie detection.
In covertly recorded meetings obtained by an international team of investigative journalists, the group’s leader claimed to have intervened in 33 elections worldwide, stating that 27 of them were successful. Their clients reportedly include intelligence agencies, political parties, and corporate entities.
Beyond disinformation: cyberattacks and illegal operations
Melih Bayram Dede stresses that Team Jorge’s activities extend far beyond disinformation campaigns. The network is also involved in cyberattacks, including unauthorized access to accounts, data theft, data manipulation, and the public disclosure of stolen information.
In this context, Dede also recalls the Pegasus spyware, another Israel-origin surveillance tool, noting that these developments collectively point to a serious global threat to digital security and democratic processes.
About Melih Bayram Dede
Melih Bayram Dede was born in 1970 in Gebze, Kocaeli, Türkiye. He began his journalism career in 1993 and has focused primarily on technology, media, and digital culture throughout his professional life.
Between 1995 and 2019, he worked at Yeni Şafak newspaper, where he served as Technology Editor. From 2005 to 2012, he was also the Editor-in-Chief of yenisafak.com.tr. His work at Yeni Şafak earned him several awards in 2012, including the Turkcell Special Award from the Turkish Association of Economic Journalists and the “IT Writer of the Year” Award from the Telecommunications Association.
From 2006 to 2011, Dede produced and hosted the television program TechnoLogic on TVNET for 214 consecutive weeks. The TechnoLogic brand continues today as an independent technology platform at technologic.com.tr.
He founded and published Dergibi, a culture, arts, and literature portal, between 1999 and 2017. The project received the “Electronic Publishing Award” from the Turkish Writers’ Union in 2001 and the “E-Magazine of the Year” Award from Şefkat Educational Institutions in 2005. In January 2017, Dede transferred Dergibi to a team based in Ankara to ensure its sustainability for future generations.
Between January 2022 and May 2023, he wrote technology-focused opinion columns for Diriliş Postası newspaper. Since February 2017, he has been a regular contributor to MediaMarkt Türkiye’s official blog, MediaTrend. Since March 2021, he has also been publishing a podcast titled Technology and Life, exploring the social and human dimensions of technology.
Dede actively produces video content shared across YouTube, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. He is a holder of a permanent press card issued by the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of Türkiye and is a member of both the Information Media Association and the Kocaeli Journalists Association.
He is the author of two books: Internet, published by İnsan Yayınları in March 2004, and Technology and Life, published by Liz Yayınları in February 2023.
