Study: 26% of Scottish Separatist Activity on X Linked to Iranian Fakes

More than a quarter of accounts pushing pro-independence content for Scotland on X turned out to be Iranian fakes, according to a report by disinformation-tracking firm Cyabra.

Cyabra analyzed activity on X between May and June 2025 and identified a large network of Iranian-linked bots amplifying hashtags such as #ScottishIndependence, #BrexitBetrayal and #BBCLies. The findings were reported by the UK Defence Journal.

About 26% of the analyzed profiles were fake and together generated more than 3,000 posts, combining separatist slogans with anti-British and pro-Iranian narratives. The aim was to simulate grassroots support, researchers said.

“These accounts blended into online debates, spreading separatist and anti-Brexit messages while accusing institutions such as the BBC and the Labour Party of bias,” the report said.

Cyabra described the effort as a “disinformation campaign hiding in plain sight.” The network relied on profile photos, AI-generated images, Scottish slang and emotional slogans. Hashtags such as #ScottishIndependenceASAP, #BBCLies and #LabourLies were repeatedly reposted to create an appearance of consensus.

The firm estimated the campaign generated more than 224 million potential views and 126,000 interactions.

The botnet went quiet in June after an Israeli cyberattack hit Iran’s power grid, according to the UK Defence Journal’s investigation.

“All of the fake accounts stopped posting. For over two weeks, they disappeared – no posts, no noise, complete digital silence. When they returned 16 days later, their focus had shifted to defending Iran and ridiculing the West,” the report noted.

The second phase of the campaign emphasized Iran’s ‘resistance’ to Western pressure, portraying Tehran’s ‘moral clarity’ against what it called Western hypocrisy. Some accounts even drew parallels between Scotland’s independence movement and Iran’s confrontation with the West.

“The intent is clear: to sow discord, deepen divisions and hijack political discourse, while maintaining a seemingly authentic image,” Cyabra said.

The findings come as researchers at Vanderbilt University disclosed documents on a Chinese firm, GoLaxy, which uses AI to spread propaganda. They estimate GoLaxy has created data profiles for at least 117 sitting U.S. lawmakers, more than 2,000 American politicians and opinion leaders, as well as thousands of right-wing influencers and journalists.