NGO: Fake accounts spread "disinformation and hate" ahead of UK election
Within six weeks, these accounts posted over 60,000 messages, which contained conspiracy theories and islamophobic, antisemitic, and homo- and transphobic content. Bots are computer programs that interact with users and pretense to be real people using algorithms.
The contributions expressing support for Russian President Vladimir Putin could have had a "disproportionate influence" on the campaign, according to Global Witness.
British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden warned on Sunday that actors like Russia were trying to influence the election by sharing Kremlin-friendly content on Facebook.
Global Witness urged X and other online networks to "clean up their platforms and put our democracies before profit." Campaign leader Ava Lee warned that democracy is in danger if discussions in the net are influenced by someone who has been paid to spread division or bring a particular party to power.
On Thursday, a new parliament will be elected in the UK. The opposition Labour Party, according to surveys, has good chances of a significant victory against the ruling Conservatives who have been in power for 14 years.
- Global Witness, an NGO, raised concerns about the potential "disproportionate influence" of supportive messages for Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Election campaign in Great Britain.
- The NGO warned that actors like Russia were using social media, specifically posting Kremlin-friendly content on platforms like Facebook, to influence the Parliamentary election in Great Britain.
- During the election campaign, bots, which are computer programs posing as real people, spread over 60,000 messages containing conspiracy theories and hateful content, including Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, and transphobia.
- British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden acknowledged the threat of disinformation, specifically from Russia, in the Election campaign, emphasizing the need to protect democracy from manipulative practices.
- Global Witness urged online networks to prioritize "cleaning up their platforms" and to prioritize democracies over profit, expressing concerns about the influence of fake accounts and disinformation.
- Campaign leader Ava Lee stressed that the electoral process could be compromised if discussions on the internet are influenced by hate speeches propagated by accounts paid to spread division or favor a particular party during the Parliamentary election in Great Britain.
