How Autocrats Use Proxies to Control the Media

Abstract: There is growing awareness of how autocrats use propaganda to generate and sustain mass support, yet much of this attention focuses on the influence of directly state-owned media. This article shifts the spotlight to proxy-owned media—private outlets controlled by individuals with informal ties to autocratic regimes. In autocracies around the world, proxy media are on the rise, overtaking traditional state-run outlets as the most prevalent and far-reaching source of propaganda. Unlike state media, proxy outlets maintain a veneer of political independence, making them appear more trustworthy to skeptical audiences. This article highlights gaps in public knowledge about the true ownership of proxy outlets, explores how these gaps may make otherwise skeptical people more likely to consume and believe proregime news, and suggests ways journalists, activists, and the public can counter proxy media's influence.