In the lead-up to the recent surge of migrants heading towards Europe, a brief video shared on Instagram went viral 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 owner later claimed “we’ve arrived” in response to comments.
This video was among several posts circulating on Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms that seemed to have encouraged two waves of irregular migration from Morocco to Ceuta. The most recent attempt on August 15 resulted in numerous arrests.
These posts were linked to various online communities focusing on migration-related content such as music, memes, and images. Some of these communities seemed to exploit the aspirations of predominantly African and Middle Eastern youth seeking better opportunities abroad.
While there is a debate among governments and organizations regarding whether a single entity orchestrated the events in Ceuta or if migration was exploited for political purposes, it is evident that misinformation, amplified through multiple online channels, played a significant role in driving the migration waves towards Ceuta this summer.
A visual investigations team from CBC, with support from Sebastian Vandermeersch of Bellingcat, identified numerous social media accounts, particularly on Instagram, that were active prior to the initial wave on July 30. The surge in posts was triggered by misinformation suggesting that a Spanish court ruling would allow migrants arriving by sea to enter the country. Many anonymous accounts began promoting the idea that the crossing was feasible, using similar language and images that garnered millions of views.
The aftermath of the July 30 border crossing saw over 72,000 people entering Ceuta, causing chaos and sparking a political crisis in Europe. While most have since returned to Morocco, around 5,000 individuals remain in Ceuta, with some residing on a beach with support from charitable organizations. Tragically, nearly 100 people lost their lives attempting the crossing.
This situation underscores how misinformation and manipulation, when disseminated across online platforms and targeted at vulnerable populations seeking solutions, can have tangible consequences, as noted by Moustafa Ayad from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
Several social media accounts guided followers to WhatsApp groups where crossing plans were discussed, while some offered explicit advice on their profiles. A video titled “the shortest distance” highlighted a specific section of a reinforced fence as the ideal spot for crossing from Morocco to Ceuta.
Subsequent to the July 30 incident, Meta and TikTok collaborated to fact-check posts to prevent criminal groups from exploiting misinformation for profit. However, a new wave of posts emerged ahead of August 15, promoting it as another opportunity to enter Spain by various means. The same accounts that mobilized the initial crossing were involved, alongside new accounts created shortly before August 15.
The proliferation of such content on social media was partly fueled by the fact that migrants had been successfully reaching Ceuta even before the court ruling, according to the Mixed Migration Centre. The surge in migration-related posts resonated with disillusioned and desperate youth in North Africa and beyond, amplifying aspirations for a better life in Europe.
The response to these posts highlights the profound desperation among many individuals, especially those facing high unemployment rates and limited opportunities in their home countries. The use of aspirational imagery and language in these social media campaigns further fuels the desire to migrate.
Given the circumstances, it is crucial to address the root causes of migration aspirations and combat the dissemination of misinformation that exploits vulnerable populations seeking a better future.