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According to an Israeli tech company, the number of fake accounts discussing the US presidential election is increasing on the social media platform X.
A report from Cyabra, a social media analysis firm, reveals that 15% of accounts supporting former President Donald Trump and criticizing President Joe Biden are inauthentic. Similarly, 7% of accounts praising Biden and criticizing Trump are also deemed fake.
Cyabra’s findings are based on a two-month analysis of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, starting March 1. The company utilized machine learning to identify fake profiles, focusing on popular hashtags and the sentiment of posts. Their analysis shows a significant increase in fake accounts during March and April, with 12,391 pro-Trump profiles and 803 pro-Biden profiles identified as inauthentic.
The report highlights that the fake accounts supporting Trump are part of a “coordinated effort” to “influence public opinion.” These accounts often used identical hashtags and posted simultaneously, pushing messages like “Vote for Trump” and “Biden is the worst president the US has ever had.” Conversely, fake accounts praising Biden did not show signs of a coordinated campaign.
Cyabra’s vice president, Rafi Mendelsohn, pointed out the concerning level of coordination behind the pro-Trump fake accounts, suggesting a deliberate attempt to manipulate public opinion. He said, “The level of coordination suggests that there is a nefarious objective and that there is a whole operation in order to change people’s opinion.”
Despite efforts by X to reduce fake accounts, including a recent initiative by Elon Musk to purge bots and trolls, the presence of these inauthentic profiles remains a significant issue. X has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
