Foreign Election Influencers in Social Media

[Copernicus]

Twitter is back, and the person running it is a MAGA Republican. So are the fake accounts designed to promote Donald Trump, and so are the hostile foreign actors who use them to spread misinformation and misinformation about the candidates. A lot of information about American voters has been stolen in the past, including contact details (email, cell phone numbers, street addresses), and it can be used in attempts to manipulate public opinion. It is not that difficult to set up profiles on massive numbers of individuals in terms of their political and religious views. So specific audiences of people can be targeted for social media campaigns.

Here is a story of just one example of such a campaign. It is not known which state actor (if any) is behind the fake Twitter accounts--probably Russia, Iran, or China--but those countries could even be collaborating to help pump up the Trump-Vance campaign or hurt the Harris-Walz campaign. So far, I have not seen reports of any state-sponsored social media campaigns to do the opposite. There is no evidence that these efforts are in any direct way connected to the Trump campaign, although I'm sure he welcomes them.

‘My identity is stolen’: Photos of European influencers used to push pro-Trump propaganda on fake X accounts​

 

[Elixir]

There is no evidence that these efforts are in any direct way connected to the Trump campaign

Lulz.
It is amusing that Katie Polglase, Pallabi Munsi, Barbara Arvanitidis, Alex Platt, Mark Baron and Oscar Featherstone can figure out who and how many they are, but Elon, Donald, and the MotherZucker can't muster the forces to assemble that knowledge and delete all the fake accounts?
They actually encourage it; it makes their businesses look like they're worth more.

 

[scombrid]

If you go after the trolls, scammers, grifters, and fake accounts YouTube and FaceBook will go after you. If some conspiracy theorist chemtrail UFO asshole is getting lots of views with their bullshit YouTube will protect them from the debunkers.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

There's no reason for them to be connected to The Felon. Doesn't mean it isn't evil, though.

 

[Elixir]

There's no reason for all of them to be connected to The Felon.

FIFY.

 

[Copernicus]

And now we have some Chinese campaign called 'spamouflage'.

China is pushing divisive political messages online using fake U.S. voters​

A long-running Chinese influence operation is posing as American voters on social media in an attempt to exacerbate social divisions ahead of the 2024 presidential election, according to a new report from the research company Graphika.

The push by the campaign known as “Spamouflage” includes accounts claiming to be American voters and U.S. soldiers. They posted about hot-button topics including reproductive rights, homelessness, U.S. support for Ukraine, and American policy toward Israel. They criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as well as former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, and sometimes used artificial intelligence tools to create content.

The group of fake accounts Graphika identified is small — 15 accounts on X (formerly known as Twitter), one on TikTok, as well as a persona impersonating a U.S. news outlet across platforms. They claimed to be U.S. citizens or U.S.-focused activists “frustrated by American politics and the West,” the report said. With the exception of one TikTok video, they didn’t gain much traction with real users online...

 

[Elixir]

With the exception of one TikTok video, they didn’t gain much traction with real users online...

Never fear, there’s millions more where those came from.

 

[robnisch]

MSN

Hope this goes somewhere.
Money directly from RT!

 

[bilby]

White House seizes 32 domains, issues criminal charges in massive election-meddling crackdown​

The Biden administration on Wednesday seized 32 websites and charged two employees of a state-owned media outlet connected to a $10 million scheme to distribute pro-Kremlin propaganda, and claimed the actions were necessary to counter Russia’s attempts to influence the upcoming US presidential election.

"The Department's seizure of 32 internet domains secretly deployed to spread foreign malign influence demonstrates once again that Russia remains a predominant foreign threat to our elections," deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco declared in a statement. "At Putin's direction, Russian companies SDA, Structura, and ANO Dialog used cybersquatting, fabricated influencers, and fake profiles to covertly promote AI-generated false narratives on social media."

This is all part of the ongoing Doppelgänger operation – a Russian-government-backed influence campaign that has been active since at least 2017. It uses a network of "thousands"of phony social media accounts, fake-news websites and deepfakes to influence American voters and spread pro-Moscow messaging.

...

Also today, the Justice Department charged two Russian nationals – 31-year-old Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and 27-year-old Elena Afanasyeva – with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Both individuals, who remain at large, are allegedly employed by RT, formerly Russia Today – a Russian government-funded media organization.

 

[Swammerdami]

I'm not sure if this story is distinct from the one bilby just mentioned. Either way, I'm not eager to absolve the "right-wing influencers" of unknowingly working for the Kremlin. That Putin and Trump are openly allied has long been plain for anyone with eyes to see.

They have millions of followers online. They have been major players in right-wing political discourse since Donald Trump was president. And they worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation, U.S. prosecutors say.

An indictment filed Wednesday alleges a media company linked to six conservative influencers — including well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — was secretly funded by Russian state media employees to churn out English-language videos that were “often consistent” with the Kremlin’s “interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition” to Russian interests, like its war in Ukraine.

In addition to marking the third straight presidential election in which U.S. authorities have unveiled politically charged details about Russia’s attempted interference in U.S. politics, an indictment indicates how Moscow may be attempting to capitalize on the skyrocketing popularity of right-wing podcasters, livestreamers and other content creators who have found successful careers on social media in the years since Trump was in office.

 

[Copernicus]

Apparently, the fascist Kremlin dictator likes Republicans in addition to the fawning Donald Trump.

 

[TSwizzle]

If you go after the trolls, scammers, grifters, and fake accounts YouTube and FaceBook will go after you. If some conspiracy theorist chemtrail UFO asshole is getting lots of views with their bullshit YouTube will protect them from the debunkers.

Except if the story is about the president's drug addled son. Just before an election. Big tech at the time seemed pretty quick to cooperate with trying to bury that story and go with the "Russian misinformation" conspiracy theory.

 

[Copernicus]

If you go after the trolls, scammers, grifters, and fake accounts YouTube and FaceBook will go after you. If some conspiracy theorist chemtrail UFO asshole is getting lots of views with their bullshit YouTube will protect them from the debunkers.

Except if the story is about the president's drug addled son. Just before an election. Big tech at the time seemed pretty quick to cooperate with trying to bury that story and go with the "Russian misinformation" conspiracy theory.

Because the "drug addled son" story was only of interest to MAGA conspiracy theorists. Russia backing Republicans was of more interest to the general public, since national security was involved.

 

[TSwizzle]

If you go after the trolls, scammers, grifters, and fake accounts YouTube and FaceBook will go after you. If some conspiracy theorist chemtrail UFO asshole is getting lots of views with their bullshit YouTube will protect them from the debunkers.

Except if the story is about the president's drug addled son. Just before an election. Big tech at the time seemed pretty quick to cooperate with trying to bury that story and go with the "Russian misinformation" conspiracy theory.

Because the "drug addled son" story was only of interest to MAGA conspiracy theorists.

If that were true, why would that story need to be buried.

Russia backing Republicans was of more interest to the general public, since national security was involved.

You are every bit as bad as the MAGA conspiracy theorists.

 

[Toni]

If you go after the trolls, scammers, grifters, and fake accounts YouTube and FaceBook will go after you. If some conspiracy theorist chemtrail UFO asshole is getting lots of views with their bullshit YouTube will protect them from the debunkers.

Except if the story is about the president's drug addled son. Just before an election. Big tech at the time seemed pretty quick to cooperate with trying to bury that story and go with the "Russian misinformation" conspiracy theory.

Because the "drug addled son" story was only of interest to MAGA conspiracy theorists.

If that were true, why would that story need to be buried.

Russia backing Republicans was of more interest to the general public, since national security was involved.

You are every bit as bad as the MAGA conspiracy theorists.

Drug addled son actually applies more to Trump than to Biden--and purportedly to Trump himself. I do know that Don Jr.'s tweets certainly do make him appear to be pretty coked up. Trump's White House acted as a pill farm. But leaving that aside, the health of people in the US is supposed to be considered private. It is devastatingly difficult for families to deal with a family member with an addiction. In the case of Biden's son, there are plenty of traumas, emotional and physical, including brain trauma that could lead to addiction. But unlike Trump's kids, Biden's kids have never acted as advisors to the POTUS.

As for Russia attempting to influence the US electorate: https://www.npr.org/2024/09/05/nx-s1-5100829/russia-election-influencers-youtube

Federal officials have accused Russia of using unwitting right-wing American influencers in its quest to spread Kremlin propaganda ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

On Wednesday, the Justice Department charged two employees of RT, the Russian state media broadcaster, in a scheme to secretly fund and direct the production of social media videos that racked up millions of views.

 

[TSwizzle]

Drug addled son actually applies more to {snip}

Talking of the drug addled president's son with dodgy business dealings, Hunter's trial for tax evasion is under way. Looks like he will be pleading guilty to a few of his 14 or so charges.

 

[bilby]

If you go after the trolls, scammers, grifters, and fake accounts YouTube and FaceBook will go after you. If some conspiracy theorist chemtrail UFO asshole is getting lots of views with their bullshit YouTube will protect them from the debunkers.

Except if the story is about the president's drug addled son. Just before an election. Big tech at the time seemed pretty quick to cooperate with trying to bury that story and go with the "Russian misinformation" conspiracy theory.

Because the "drug addled son" story was only of interest to MAGA conspiracy theorists. Russia backing Republicans was of more interest to the general public, since national security was involved.

It may have escaped TSwizze's notice, but one of the features that distinguishes the Republic of the USA, from the British Constitutional Monarchy, is that the position of Head of State is not hereditary; It doesn't matter one iota to the Republic what the President's son does, unless and until he runs for office in his own right.

He can do all the drugs, and evade all the taxes; He isn't running for President.

Shit, his dad isn't even running for re-election anymore.

 

[TomC]

Drug addled son actually applies more to {snip}

Talking of the drug addled president's son with dodgy business dealings, Hunter's trial for tax evasion is under way. Looks like he will be pleading guilty to a few of his 14 or so charges.

Why do you think people want to talk about that?
He's not running for office and never has.

On the other hand there is a candidate running for office with huge problems concerning taxes and tax evasion. Multiple kinds of financial lawbreaking.
That's Trump, and everyone knows it. He's been lying about his taxes, literally, since the day he first entered the presidential election race.
Tom

 

[Toni]

Drug addled son actually applies more to {snip}

Talking of the drug addled president's son with dodgy business dealings, Hunter's trial for tax evasion is under way. Looks like he will be pleading guilty to a few of his 14 or so charges.

So, Biden's son has more integrity than Trump or his family who, btw, have been barred from doing business in NY because of Trump's illegal and unethical business dealings and also are barred from running a charity because THEY STOLE FROM A CHILDREN'S CANCER CHARITY.

 

[TSwizzle]

Drug addled son actually applies more to {snip}

Talking of the drug addled president's son with dodgy business dealings, Hunter's trial for tax evasion is under way. Looks like he will be pleading guilty to a few of his 14 or so charges.

So, Biden's son has more integrity {snip, the TDS is strong in this one}

The dead one?

But the drug addled alive one, the drug and hooker fiend, he's as trashy as they come. No wonder Brandon didn't want this tawdry episode coming to light.