The rapid spread of the tweet underscored how easily deceptive messages spread online — and how far they can get before social media companies are able to curb them. “The IRA created an expansive cross-platform media mirage targeting the Black community, which shared and cross-promoted authentic Black media to create an immersive influence ecosystem,” a report for the Senate Intelligence Committee on Russian disinformation efforts said in 2018. The misleading material even invoked the Obama family, suggesting the nation’s first Black president and his wife had endorsed Trump. Twitter revealed no details about the recently created personas beyond saying they had engaged in behavior contrary to the company’s policies. At the same time, Freelon said, “authentic Black conservatives have long been trotted out by Republicans” in a bid to answer accusations of racism.

Source: Washington Post August 26, 2020 21:21 UTC