Read on Twitter
1/Here are the first videos in this 4-part mini-series about why we should #BlockTheBots #BlockTrolls on all social media platforms, especially on @Twitter which clearly has a Bot and Troll problem. Interacting with them quickly spreads their disinformation: #MondayMotivation
2/ @realDonaldTrump is an example of a Troll. He's on Twitter to spread disinformation and to inflame emotions in order to distract from the headlines that don't flatter him: e.g. being associated w/ Epstein, the human rights violations at the border, Mueller's upcoming Testimony.
3/Trump is a typical troll: he's offensive, divisive, and is on social media to sow discord and to instill fear. #TrollTrump amplifies his message through other trolls such as Ali Alexander, Gorka, etc; their invective is further amplified by bots. #BlockTheBots #BlockTrolls
4/Trump has continuously spread disinformation since he 1st declared his
2016 run, but after Trump hosted a cohort of trolls' at the WH last week, it signaled to many of us (especially Ben Collins @oneunderscore__ who reports on disinformation) that he's ramping up his efforts.
2016 run, but after Trump hosted a cohort of trolls' at the WH last week, it signaled to many of us (especially Ben Collins @oneunderscore__ who reports on disinformation) that he's ramping up his efforts.
5/Trump praised some of the vilest Trolls in Social Media on the White House lawn in front of the press because he felt the 2016 disinformation campaign worked. It did. It robs us of a cogent conversation about policy, keeps us fighting, and the media distracted. #BlockTheBots
6/Legacy media breathlessly covered every one of Trump's distracting divisive offensive statements while mostly ignoring his:
Tax Returns
Mental Health
Lack of qualifications
Racist Ideas
Relationship with Putin
Corrupt campaign staff
Voter suppression tactics
Tax ReturnsMental HealthLack of qualificationsRacist IdeasRelationship with Putin Corrupt campaign staffVoter suppression tactics
7/Listen, it’s not easy to figure out which profiles are bots, but there are a few services that have attempted to tackle this issue, like https://botometer.iuni.iu.edu which lets you check to see if a profile has a high/low probability of being a bot & if their followers are bots too.
8/It's easier to spot a Troll. Bots are not human, they are automated social media accounts run by a piece of software. Trolls, on the other hand, are human. They like to stay anonymous but there are a few, Charlie Kirk, Ali Alexander, Jim Hoft, that don't mind being public.
9/ Bottomline, I'm seeing very smart people interacting with trolls and bots. I'm watching disinformation spread into my timeline. That's the troll's goal: to have real people interact w/ those messages and get the press to cover them. We end up being "the useful idiots".
10/ Here are some of the studies & articles I referenced: "An analysis of information shared on Twitter during the 2016 election has found that automated accounts -- or "bots" -- played a disproportionate role in spreading misinformation online." https://news.iu.edu/stories/2018/11/iub/releases/20-twitter-bots-election-misinformation.html
11/ "Twitter lacks the cultural competency to police such impersonators, even if it were interested in doing so." by @Yair_Rosenberg https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/27/opinion/digital-nazi-hunter-trump.html
12/ The Mueller Report. For the love of sparkly buddha folks, please read it. If you don't have time (you're always on the go, etc), listen to it! It's free on audible. #BlockTheBots https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Mueller-Report-Audiobook/B07PXN468K
13/I want to show y'all another example of a troll. Trolls are real people trying to spread disinformation and/or to be divisive. Hate & Bigotry are two favorite tools of the troll. @JJauthor was using hate speech against @IlhanMN, a violation of @twitter rules. Report & block.
