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Russia-Linked Twitter Accounts 'Tried To Divide UK' After Terrorist Attacks (theguardian.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the false-information dept.

AmiMoJo shares a report from The Guardian: Fake social media accounts linked to Russia were used to influence and interfere with public debate in the aftermath of four terrorist attacks in the UK this year, researchers have found. At least 47 Russian Twitter accounts posted material after attacks at Westminster Bridge, Manchester Arena, London Bridge and Finsbury Park, according to researchers at the Cardiff University Crime and Security Research Institute (CSRI). Of the 47 accounts, eight were especially active, posting at least 475 tweets about the four attacks, which were reposted more than 153,000 times. The accounts intervened on both sides of polarized debates to ramp up the level of discord online, the research found.

2 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. i.e. Unite against a common enemy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Sort of, they divide into factions, then align the gullible faction to a pro-Russian stance. i.e. its supposed to create factions so afraid of muslims, then we all unite with Putin against the muslim threat. 5 eyes would become 5+1 eyes, giving Putin access to surveillance data on other 5 eyes nations, and expanding his ability to attack other democracies, all under cover of protecting USA from this threat.

    So you see this in Syria, where Trump identified Isis as the USA's biggest threat (it isn't, it's Russia), and Putin did the same, and the trolls bigged up the threat as a general threat from muslims. Putin then bombs all of Assads enemies (muslims and US allies), and Trump gives him political cover.

    See the uniting bit? That's really the payoff. Mueller is arrested Putin's money launderers and Hannity is laying down smoke to cover for these Russians, Hannity's so aligned to the message and united to their cause, he forgets he's selling out America.

    You see the same thing here, where they organized a "Stop Islamation of Texas' protest to stop Texas turning muslim (!) and to give them something to push against, a counter protest against the racist one:
    http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-trolls-senate-intelligence-committee-hearing-2017-11

    Once people buy into this nonsense, their self worth becomes attached to it. They can't admit to being wrong, so they keep up the pretense and can be led further and further astray.

  2. Re:Only 47? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Yeah fuck off Ivan. We know what you're up to.