X Just Accidentally Exposed a Covert Influence Network Targeting Americans
5 hours ago
- #election-interference
- #disinformation
- #social-media
- A new X feature exposes foreign-run accounts posing as American Trump supporters.
- Many large pro-Trump accounts were found to be operated from countries like Nigeria, Thailand, and Bangladesh.
- The discovery mirrors Russia's 2016 disinformation campaign targeting U.S. elections.
- X's transparency feature reveals location discrepancies, flagging potential covert influence operations.
- Foreign actors may include state-sponsored groups and independent opportunists exploiting U.S. political divisions.
- The exposure raises concerns about ongoing foreign interference in U.S. political discourse.
- Public awareness of these tactics could lead to increased skepticism and regulatory scrutiny.
- X faces decisions on whether to remove or merely label foreign-run accounts.
- The findings highlight the need for better vetting of online political trends.
- The revelations suggest foreign influence operations never truly stopped after 2016.