Twitter Clears the Field of State‑Backed Propaganda
On Thursday, the social‑media giant cut a massive rope of fake accounts and propaganda from its platform. The purge spanned Iran, Russia, Spain, and Venezuela—over 30 million tweets, 1 TB of media, and almost 5 000 suspicious users were taken down.
Why We’re Doing It
Tech giants are under fire for letting political outfits hijack elections, flood debate with lies, and smear rivals. Twitter’s integrity chief Yoel Roth posted a note in the company blog, emphasizing that “transparency is core to our mission” and that the platform will tackle “misleading, deceptive, and spammy behaviour.”
Iran‑Based Accounts
- 4,779 accounts linked to the Iranian government were eliminated.
- Most shuffled news to favor Tehran’s geopolitical aims or were fake profiles designed to sway online discussions.
- A smaller slice was exclusively talking about Israel, giving the Iranian side an extra angle.
Russian Bots Continue to Bite
Twitter has a history of targeting Russian bots. This latest dump adds four more accounts that the company believes belong to the Internet Research Agency (IRA)—the infamous “troll factory” in St Petersburg that has been blamed for meddling in Western elections, including the 2016 U.S. presidential race.
Venezuelan Fake‑User Cluster
The security team uncovered 33 accounts connected to a big swath of 764 previously known Venezuelan fakes. According to the post, a “commercial entity originating in Venezuela” seems to be running the operation.
Spanish Catalan Separatists
In Spain, 130 fake accounts were pulled down. They were apparently set up to push Catalan separatist views.
What Happens Next?
Twitter says it will keep the data in a safe repository for researchers and investigators studying online threats. Roth believes that this level of transparency helps the public and scientists stay better informed.
European Response
On Friday, EU justice commissioner Vera Jourova and security commissioner Julian King are scheduled to brief reporters on new European measures aimed at countering political disinformation.
