Pro-Gun Russian Bots Flood Twitter After Parkland Shooting

[workinclasszero]

Pro-Gun Russian Bots Flood Twitter After Parkland Shooting
Erin Griffith 02.15.1802:00 PM

EACH NEW BREAKING news situation is an opportunity for trolls to grab attention, provoke emotions, and spread propaganda. The Russian government knows this. Fake-news manufacturing teenagers in Macedonia know this. Twitter bot creators know this. And thanks to data-gathering operations from groups like the Alliance for Securing Democracy and RoBhat Labs, the world knows this.

In the wake of Wednesday’s Parkland, Florida school shooting, which resulted in 17 deaths, troll and bot-tracking sites reported an immediate uptick in related tweets from political propaganda bots and Russia-linked Twitter accounts.

Popular trending topics among the bot network include shooter, NRA, shooting, Nikolas, Florida, and teacher.

https://www.wired.com/story/pro-gun-russian-bots-flood-twitter-after-parkland-shooting/

[vercetti2021]

1. They don't matter

We know they are fake bullshit accounts. So they can spread crap, we know better. But fuck Twitter for not doing shit to stop this.

[groundloop]

3. Oh, but they do matter. Many many people don't know the difference and fall for that crap.

Furthermore, their intent isn't to push anyone over the fence toward one side of the discussion or the other. They simply work to sow seeds of discontent and divisiveness, which they seem to do very well. A divided America is a weaker America.

[NoMoreRepugs]

2. They do matter. Most Goobers get their news from social media.

[workinclasszero]

10. Yes

I agree.

[poboy2]

4. Very important. eom

[blue neen]

5. Heck, the Russian supported NRA'ers are right here on DU.

Yep.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. Yes they are and they're obvious

Site rules prevent us from calling them out.

[Squinch]

14. But they make themselves pretty obvious by the fact that they only seem to wake up when

there's slaughter in the air, and they don't talk about anything but guns.

Disgusting ghouls.

[workinclasszero]

11. Seems to be that way

doesn't it?

[Farmer-Rick]

6. Those stupid, stupid NRA Russian trolls, hackers and programmers

They don't even get a fraction of the pay that Putin hands out like water to Trump and his criminal buddies.

They do the work, Trump and Putin get the money and fame. What stupid little trolls and bot makers they are.

[quartz007]

7. How can we stop the Russians?

What is their motive in spending resources on propaganda in USA?

[ProudLib72]

8. This is an interesting paragraph

Another top link shared by the network covers the “deranged” Instagram account of the shooter, showing images of him holding guns and knives, wearing army hats, and a screenshot of a Google search of the phrase “Allahu Akbar.” Characterizing shooters as deranged lone wolves with potential terrorist connections is a popular strategy of pro-gun groups because of the implication that new gun laws could not have prevented their actions. On Thursday President Trump tweeted as much: “So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed, even expelled from school for bad and erratic behavior.”

So who is feeding this shit to Donnie? Miller? I don't think he is reading tweets, just shitting them out. It's obvious what is happening when Faux reports something and he tweets it within half an hour, but this is different.

[JDC]

12. Twitter is shit.

[Squinch]

13. And no one is boycotting Twitter and Facebook.

Though we have them here too. Like little roaches that come out of the woodwork when they smell gun slaughter.

[Gabi Hayes]

15. MJ discussed this moments ago

Too bad you missed the boat two years ago, when it might have mattered

Lori K