Many connections exist between the news websites, La Luce di Maria, and various members of the Colono family.



When it comes to their own Facebook timelines, Giancarlo Colono and other members of his extended family have posted content from the La Luce di Maria Facebook page and pages of similar organisations that show a deep commitment to their Catholic faith.

Colono told BuzzFeed News that he and his brother Davide have been involved with La Luce di Maria, but said their involvement was limited to helping to set up its online operations — and that he was “in its current state a simple and affectionate follower”. (La Luce di Maria appears to exist primarily as an online operation.)

During phone conversations and email exchanges with BuzzFeed News, the Colonos explained there were no connections between their websites and La Luce di Maria.

La Luce di Maria didn’t respond to specific questions sent by email asking who the founders, leaders and those responsible for the Catholic association are. But, in an email reply, a spokesperson for La Luce di Maria told BuzzFeed News that there was “no existing official relationship” with the Colono brothers. They added that Davide was among several people helping the association, and that others send them links.

Both a “Davide” and a “Giancarlo” — without any last name — are listed among those “who write for us” on the association’s about page.

Davide told BuzzFeed News in an email that all he does for La Luce di Maria is post content and photos on a voluntary basis. A video he uploaded to YouTube in June last year from a Catholic event shows the speaker, a priest, praising the La Luce di Maria Facebook page.

He declined to comment further on the ownership structure of La Luce di Maria.

After answering a series of questions by email, both Colono brothers and La Luce di Maria subsequently emailed BuzzFeed News — separately and within the space of an hour and 20 minutes from each other — to say their responses and comments from the previous day were now private and should not be published, and gave no clear reason.

But BuzzFeed News informed the parties on Friday night that we had decided it was in the public interest to publish their responses, which had been given on the record and without any conditions.

Italian officials say that websites and Facebook pages like those run by Web365 that spread misleading information, anti-migrant sentiments, and nationalist messages could have an impact on next year’s election.

Laura Boldrini, the president of the Italian parliament, who herself has been on the receiving end of unrelated online hate and fake news, told BuzzFeed News: “This is not some prank but a danger for young men and women who get most of their information from digital channels. This investigation reveals that there are millions of Italian citizens that are victims of garbage information.”

"It’s clear," she added, "and not just from today, that misinformation is a political weapon. Digital platforms and institutions cannot ignore these realities. They need to act soon and with firmness to stem this flow before it’s too late."