The RBC investigation uncovered that the two sites, BlackMatters US and Black Fist, were linked to the Internet Research Agency, a Russian state-affiliated troll farm at the center of the disinformation campaign that pushed fake news sites and troll posts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and even Google News and Gmail. Both sites are still online, though their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts have been suspended. Neither Twitter nor Facebook would confirm to Buzzfeed if their suspensions were part of either platform’s recent ventures to purge Russian influence ads."
Monday, May 6, 2019
Russia Deceived Black Activists Into Aiding Their Election Interference Scheme
(Gizmodo) --"A landmark investigation from Russian news outlet RBC uncovered a Kremlin-sponsored scheme that used Facebook to recruit black activists in the US as part of Russia’s election interference campaign, reportedly paying them to organize Black Lives Matter rallies, self-defense classes and produce content for Russian-owned sites decrying police brutality. Contacted by Buzzfeed News, the activists had no idea they were part of any Russian plot, recalling odd, but not alarming, phone calls with a man with an “African” accent. Racial division, subsequent reports have uncovered, was key to Russia’s interference campaign.
The RBC investigation uncovered that the two sites, BlackMatters US and Black Fist, were linked to the Internet Research Agency, a Russian state-affiliated troll farm at the center of the disinformation campaign that pushed fake news sites and troll posts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and even Google News and Gmail. Both sites are still online, though their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts have been suspended. Neither Twitter nor Facebook would confirm to Buzzfeed if their suspensions were part of either platform’s recent ventures to purge Russian influence ads."
The RBC investigation uncovered that the two sites, BlackMatters US and Black Fist, were linked to the Internet Research Agency, a Russian state-affiliated troll farm at the center of the disinformation campaign that pushed fake news sites and troll posts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and even Google News and Gmail. Both sites are still online, though their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts have been suspended. Neither Twitter nor Facebook would confirm to Buzzfeed if their suspensions were part of either platform’s recent ventures to purge Russian influence ads."
