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submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

Germany has uncovered a major “pro-Russian disinformation campaign” using thousands of fake accounts on X to try and stir anger at Berlin’s support for Ukraine, a media report said on Friday (26 January).

The revelations come amid growing concern about the impact increasingly sophisticated disinformation campaigns could have on elections.

Experts commissioned by the German foreign ministry used specialised software to monitor posts on the online platform X, formerly known as Twitter, between 20 December and 20 January, news weekly Der Spiegel wrote.

They reportedly stumbled across more than 50,000 fake user accounts that together pumped out more than a million German-language tweets.

A common theme was the accusation that Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government was neglecting the country’s own population in favour of helping Ukraine in its war against Russia, according to Spiegel, which said it has seen excerpts of the analysis.

The accounts also often linked to fake news stories on websites designed to resemble those of genuine media outlets, Spiegel said, leading analysts to connect it to the Russia-linked “Doppelganger” campaign already known to authorities.

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[-] squeakycat@lemmy.ml 43 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

These stories continue to come out. And things continue to not change.

[-] JeffKerman1999@sopuli.xyz 13 points 9 months ago

Yeah I do not understand why people are still on that platform

[-] jopepa@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

I talked to a cousin and he says, “yeah but I don’t follow those types of accounts…”

[-] febra@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago
[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 1 points 9 months ago

Really?? The entire internet is like, half porn.

[-] bappity@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago

oh wow! what??!?! there are bots on twitter?!?! but daddy elon said he solved that problem!!

[-] realitista@lemmy.world 19 points 9 months ago

Isn't that basically what the platform is for now?

[-] Damage@slrpnk.net 16 points 9 months ago
[-] aew360@lemm.ee 13 points 9 months ago

The Internet Research Agency is so much more prevalent than we think. I’m pretty sure they’re operating communities on this site lmao

[-] febra@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

I’d say the most prevalent ones I’ve seen are Russian and Israeli disinformation campaigns. I wouldn’t be surprised if more countries were in on these things.

[-] psmgx@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

Not a question of if, but how much. Betting number of users is too low to justify aggressive efforts outside of a few places

[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 9 points 9 months ago

It's a good thing for Musk those pesky fact-checkers have all been fired.

[-] Pizza_Rat@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

I am shocked! Shocked I tell you!!

[-] d00phy@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

OMG, you too!? I never woulda thunk it!

[-] kmartburrito@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

WAD

Working As Designed

[-] Andrenikous@lemm.ee 4 points 9 months ago

First day on the internet, Germany?

[-] rustydrd@sh.itjust.works 5 points 9 months ago

It's kind of new ground for us.

[-] psmgx@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

Only thousands?

[-] carl_dungeon@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

No way, really!?! I thought everything on twitter was factual!!!

this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2024
323 points (96.8% liked)

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