A short thread on the nature of influence operations online.
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Replying to @intelwire
Influence operations aim to raise the profile of certain themes and issues. They do this by amplifying content.
1 reply 39 retweets 116 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
They create some of the content they amplify. But that is not necessarily a *majority* of the content they amplify.
1 reply 36 retweets 100 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
Much of the activity of an influence operation, Russian or otherwise, is amplifying content found online.
1 reply 33 retweets 100 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
Russia didn't invent Trump, or the Front National, or the AfD but they do amplify content related to all three.
1 reply 47 retweets 118 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
They amplify hashtags created by third parties, some of whome are independent, some of whom are linked, loosely or tightly.
1 reply 30 retweets 92 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
They amplify the alt-right. There also lots of other links between Russian and the alt-right such as...
2 replies 34 retweets 107 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
This http://www.thedailybeast.com/russias-alt-right-rasputin-says-hes-steve-bannons-ideological-soul-mate … and this https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/23/world/europe/right-wing-groups-find-a-haven-for-a-day-in-russia.html … and thishttp://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-the-moscow-mouthpiece-married-to-a-racist-alt-right-boss …
2 replies 68 retweets 121 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
But none of this is to assert Russia controls or orchestrates what happens on the alt-right; they do however opportunistically amplify it.
1 reply 43 retweets 132 likes -
Replying to @intelwire
So it's a mistake to think everything you see trending in a Russian influence network was workshopped in St. Petersburg.
3 replies 40 retweets 121 likes
The website really, really, really, really should make that more clear.
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