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Disinformation networks ‘flooded’ X before EU elections, report says

www.theguardian.com

Disinformation networks ‘flooded’ X before EU elections, report says

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  • This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Coordinated networks of accounts spreading disinformation “flooded” social media in France, Germany and Italy before the elections to the European parliament, Dutch researchers have found.

    After an in-depth analysis of disinformation on the platform X in four EU countries, the researchers concluded that many of the accounts had been set up after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but were cranked up in the weeks and days before the vote, with growth in their numbers of followers rocketing.

    “The impact of these accounts is increasing at an alarming rate,” said Trollrensics, a specialist consultancy commissioned by the Dutch Socialist and Democratic parties in the European parliament.

    Trollrensics specialises in analysing disinformation networks that typically include troll accounts attempting to interfere in a concerted manner to influence public discourse.

    The report, titled EU Elections Investigation, said: “The scale of the operation suggests that it [the disinformation network] necessitates significant human resources and time.”

    The Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten, when asked whether he could see any causal link between the accounts and the EU elections results, said he had learned through the research that “the first objective was to show doubt” and discredit the authorities in the west, part of a narrative known to be pushed by Russia.


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