Published 07:50 IST, October 10th 2020
Twitter shuts down over 1,500 accounts linked to state-sponsored disinformation networks
As per the micro-blogging website, all of the accounts were connected to state information operations carried out by Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Thailand.
Twitter Inc. has permanently suspended 1,589 state-linked accounts that violated its platform manipulation policies. As per the micro-blogging website, all of the accounts were connected to state information operations carried out by Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Thailand. The company has now added these accounts, along with five previously shut Russia-linked accounts, to its state-linked information operations archive.
'Artificially amplified conversations'
In addition to these, the social media giant has identified five networks to which these accounts were linked to. In a blog post, Twitter revealed that all accounts related to Iran “artificially amplified conversations on politically sensitive topics”. These included racial and social justice issues in the US, such as Black Lives Matter and George Floyd's death. Many of the accounts were compromised, and Twitter returned most of them to their original owners.
The micro-blogging site also asserted that it had suspended a total of 33 accounts related to Saudi Arabia. “These accounts were created to impersonate key Qatari political figures and to advance narratives about Qatari politics which are geostrategically favourable to the Saudi authorities,” wrote Twitter describing the manipulating accounts on its blog.
Out of the total, Twitter claimed that nearly 526 fake accounts were run by youth organisations with ties to the Cuban government. The company permanently suspended 926 accounts allegedly run by the Royal Thai Army (RTA) as well which were found “amplifying pro-RTA and pro-government content, as well as engaging in behaviour targeting prominent political opposition figures.” Moreover, a number of accounts related to Russia were also taken down for their alleged role in spreading misinformation and fake news.
Image Credits: AP
Updated 07:50 IST, October 10th 2020