Russian trolls fueled anti-vaccination debate in U.S. by spreading misinformation on Twitter

[RandySF]

Russian Twitter trolls have attempted to fuel the anti-vaccination debate in the U.S., posting about the issue far more than the average Twitter user last year, a study out of George Washington University has found. The "sophisticated" bots shared opinions from both sides of the anti-vaxxer debate, which took the U.S. by storm and prompted tech companies to crack down on the spread of misinformation surrounding vaccinations.

In the study, professor David Broniatowski and his colleagues say the Russian trolls' efforts mimic those used in the past. Such trolls ramp up controversial issues in the U.S. by inflating different viewpoints, the study says.

The U.S. is in the midst of the worst measles outbreak in the country in 25 years. Health officials say misinformation and anti-vax messages have led more people to avoid vaccination, allowing the disease to spread.

Russian Twitter trolls have attempted to fuel the anti-vaccination debate in the U.S., posting about the issue far more than the average Twitter user last year, a study out of George Washington University has found. The "sophisticated" bots shared opinions from both sides of the anti-vaxxer debate, which took the U.S. by storm and prompted tech companies to crack down on the spread of misinformation surrounding vaccinations.

In the study, professor David Broniatowski and his colleagues say the Russian trolls' efforts mimic those used in the past. Such trolls ramp up controversial issues in the U.S. by inflating different viewpoints, the study says.
The U.S. is in the midst of the worst measles outbreak in the country in 25 years. Health officials say misinformation and anti-vax messages have led more people to avoid vaccination, allowing the disease to spread.



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anti-vax-movement-russian-trolls-fueled-anti-vaccination-debate-in-us-by-spreading-misinformation-twitter-study/

[dalton99a]

1. They want to kill Americans.

[RKP5637]

7. So many Americans are so damn naive and basically stupid ... and propagandized. It's stunning.

In so many ways IMO it's a really F'ed up place.

[FakeNoose]

2. This doesn't surprise me one bit

So glad I'm not on Twitter or Facebook. Life is too short for dealing with this shit.

[Turbineguy]

3. There are a lot of vulnerable Americans.

In the '50's in school we were taught to recognize propaganda and look both ways before crossing the street.

[RKP5637]

8. Same here. It seems that, as well as civics are long gone. n/t

[RKP5637]

4. So sad some Americans are so damn stupid, information limited or whatever that they fall for this

troll crap.

[WhiteTara]

5. Here's my long ago column

Free Parking from last February. This is a world wide epidemic.
http://eureka.news/free-parking-67/

[The Genealogist]

6. Sad that people will trust random garbage they find on the internet over their qualified PCP

This is just plain senseless.

PCPs DO NOT rake in a scad of money off of vaccinations.

They are not laced with dangerous chemicals.

There is no evidence that they cause Autism.

THEY ARE SAFE FOR YOU, YOUR KIDS, AND FOR FUCK'S SAKE THEY ARE CRUCIAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.