Fake complaints and dummy websites: how Alliance Bank is trying to clear Google of media investigations

Fake complaints and dummy websites: how Alliance Bank is trying to clear Google of media investigations

Unknown parties mislead Google through a fake website to remove "inconvenient" media publications about "Alliance" and "Ukrenergo" from the search engine.

On September 9, 2024, the editorial team of the anti-corruption resource StopCor received a notification from Google about an alleged copyright infringement. However, after thoroughly analyzing the complaints from opponents, our editorial team identified signs of a manipulative attack on freedom of speech – likely orchestrated by the subjects of high-profile publications about the "Alliance" bank.

In the letter from the international corporation Google, it was stated that complaints had been received regarding copyright infringement and violations of applicable copyright laws on the media website. The complainant was identified as the website https://365daysjournal.com, which submitted numerous claims regarding several media publications, specifically:

- "Information campaign against the head of ’Ukrenergo’ Kudrytskyi: ’Alliance’ bank attempts to avoid paying a debt of 1.2 billion UAH" – link

- Economic exemption from mobilization may appear as early as this year: what does it mean – link

- Systemic interest in a shadow player: why the NBU does not remove ’Alliance’ bank from the market, – "Fakty" – link

- Systemic interest in a shadow player: why the NBU does not remove ’Alliance’ bank from the market, – "Fakty" – link

Information campaign against the head of ’Ukrenergo’ Kudrytskyi: ’Alliance’ bank attempts to avoid paying a debt of 1.2 billion UAH – link

Under the spotlight of investigations about ’Alliance’ bank and ’Ukrenergo’

As the analysis shows, the majority of the submitted complaints concern publications about:

- A potential media campaign against the head of ’Ukrenergo’ Volodymyr Kudrytskyi and possible attempts by ’Alliance’ bank to avoid paying a debt of 1.2 billion UAH

- Economic exemption from mobilization

- Systemic interest in a "shadow player" and the inaction of the NBU regarding ’Alliance’ bank

The editorial team notes: in each of these publications, the media properly cited the original sources of information and did not violate the copyright of third parties in any way.

Technical specialists established a key fact: the domain https://365daysjournal.com was registered only on August 22, 2024, while the media publications subject to complaints are dated August-September 2024.

" This is evident from the domain creation date. So, there is a hypothesis that some individuals specifically created this website to use it as a ’cover’ to remove our specific article or group of publications from search engines ," explains StopCor’s Technical Director and CEO Bohdan Shcherbakov.

An attack on freedom of speech under the pretext of copyright protection?

According to the editorial team’s assumption, the subjects of the publications are likely manipulating the concept of copyright through a fake website and misleading the international corporation Google for their own purposes. Such tactics pose a direct threat to independent media and freedom of speech.

We draw attention to the fact that, in accordance with the current Law of Ukraine "On Media", every citizen has the right to legally challenge information they believe to be false through legal and judicial means.

At the same time, attempts to manipulate international platforms through fake copyright claims appear to be unfair play.