Russia-Linked Bots Hone Online Attack Plans for 2018 U.S. Vote

[DonViejo]

Source: Bloomberg




By Nafeesa Syeed
September 1, 2017, 4:00 AM EDT

* Charlottesville comments led to online effort to target McCain

* Twitter, Facebook have bolstered efforts to find fake accounts

After violent protests rocked Charlottesville, Virginia last month, Republican Senator John McCain took to Twitter to condemn hatred and bigotry and urge President Donald Trump to speak out more forcefully.

Then pro-Russian bots got activated on social media.

Within hours, an online campaign attacking McCain -- a frequent Trump critic -- began circulating, amplified with the help of automated and human-coordinated networks known as bots and cyborgs linking to blogs on “Traitor McCain” and the hashtag #ExplainMcCain.

After the 2016 U.S. presidential race was subject to Russian cyber meddling, analysts say the ferocity of more recent assaults is a preview of what could be coming in the 2018 elections, when Republicans will be defending their control of both chambers of Congress.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-01/russia-linked-bots-hone-online-attack-plans-for-2018-u-s-vote

[bronxiteforever]

1. K & R for visibility- people really need to see this!

[Qutzupalotl]

2. K&R

be on the lookout for these bots

[DavidDvorkin]

3. The "They're both the same" crowd will be quick to believe anything the bots post.

[ancianita]

4. They're usually one-line trolls with no FB info presence prior to this year or last. Attack them. A

A human will respond at length. Then explain your tactic and they'll usually understand.

[Sunlei]

5. Twitter should be shut-down or removed as 'official channel' for government AND 'news'

Facebook also. That will stop that shit totally.

[janx]

6. K&R