Bot-like Accounts on X Fuel US Political Conspiracies

AFP/APP

Washington: Bot-like accounts on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, which were previously involved in spreading misinformation and hate ahead of Britain’s election, are now amplifying conspiracy theories related to US politics, according to a watchdog investigation released Tuesday. As the race for the White House intensifies, these accounts have continued their disruptive activities.

Global Witness analyzed 45 accounts that collectively generated over four billion impressions since late May. These accounts, initially active during the British elections earlier this month, have since shifted focus to high-profile US events, including a recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.

The findings underscore persistent issues with bot activity on X, despite Elon Musk’s promises to address digital manipulation following his $44 billion acquisition of the platform in 2022.

The bot-like accounts produced around 610,000 posts, promoting racist and sexualized abuse, climate disinformation, and anti-migrant protests in Ireland. Ava Lee, a campaign leader at Global Witness, expressed concern: “In a time when democratic integrity is under scrutiny, it’s alarming how easily these accounts, which initially spread division in the UK, have transitioned to influencing political discussions in the US and Ireland, often with hate and conspiracy.”

X did not respond to AFP’s request for comment but issued an automated reply stating, “Busy now, please check back later.”

Global Witness did not find evidence linking these bot-like activities to any British political parties. The report noted that following the Trump assassination attempt, some accounts that had supported the right-wing party Reform UK propagated unfounded theories implicating Biden, while others aligned with Britain’s Labour party speculated the incident was staged by Trump.

After Biden announced his withdrawal from the race, discussions on these accounts shifted to US Vice President Kamala Harris, featuring “gendered disinformation tropes” and racist comments.

Despite Musk’s pre-acquisition pledge to “defeat the spam bots or die trying,” bot activity remains a significant issue. A report from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) last year found that X is inundated with platform manipulation and lacks an effective strategy for managing political disinformation.

Lee urged X to enhance its moderation efforts and enforce its policies against inauthentic activity more rigorously. “We’re relying on them to protect our democracies from interference,” she said.

In recent developments, Musk, who has endorsed Trump, faced criticism for sharing a deepfake video of Harris on X, a move that tech campaigners argued violated the platform’s own policies.