A US social media researcher has warned that Russian online trolling is becoming increasingly decentralized and is gaining “incredible traction” on the video-sharing app TikTok with misinformation aimed at sowing doubt about recent events in Ukraine.
Darren Linvill, professor at Clemson University
Since 2017, Darren Linvill, a professor at Clemson University in South Carolina, has been researching the Kremlin-linked Internet Research Agency (IRA) troll farm operation.
He has identified the sharing of fake factchecking posts and accounts that amplify disinformation by linking between platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram as current tactics by the IRA, which is now believed to be operating in multiple locations.
The UK Government
On Sunday, the UK government claimed that it had identified a former factory in St. Petersburg as a new base for trolling operations in which
“cyber soldiers are ruthlessly targeting politicians and audiences across a number of countries including the UK, South Africa, and India.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office cited unpublished government-funded research that allegedly shows paid Russian staff
“using Telegram to actively recruit and coordinate new supporters who then target the social media profiles of Kremlin critics – spamming them with pro-Putin and pro-war comments.”
The Reports
Targets have reportedly included Boris Johnson’s social media accounts, as well as the accounts of bands and musicians such as Daft Punk, David Guetta, and Tiesto. The government stated that it had shared the findings with social media platforms.
It stated that the Russian operation was looking for “organic content” posted by genuine users that was consistent with its messaging, and that it was then working to amplify these messages.
“This means that, as long as the content they post isn’t too offensive, they’re unlikely to face de-platforming interventions,” an official explained.
Liz Truss, the foreign secretary
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated, “We cannot allow the Kremlin and its shady troll farms to infiltrate our online spaces with their lies about Putin’s illegal war.
” The UK government has notified international partners and will continue to collaborate with allies and media platforms to counter Russian information operations.”
Linvill says,
Trolls posting comments under legitimate accounts was a common disinformation tactic that was not new, he said, adding,
“The IRA has a long history of exploiting legitimate voices.”
One advantage of a troll posting comments under an account with a large number of followers is that they do not need a large number of followers to be seen.
He claimed that the IRA almost always posted in Russian and that the main goal appeared to be influencing Russian public opinion, but the UK government claimed that its latest research suggested Moscow’s operation was “designed to manipulate international public opinion” in favor of its military campaign in Ukraine.
Conclusion
TikTok and Twitter have closed dozens of accounts in recent months that Linvill believes are linked to the IRA. He described TikTok’s impact as “surprising,” with some accounts attracting hundreds of thousands of followers.
“They were very, very effective,” he said. “They gained a tremendous amount of traction in the nationalist Russian space.”
Published By : Chittajallu H S Kumar
Edited By: Kiran MaharanaÂ
