The FBI investigation into whether the Russians aggressively promoted President Donald trump over Hillary Clinton in an effort to get him elected is looking into how the Kremlin may have used Millions of bots to push readers to Pro-Trump websites.
Online bots unleashed on Americans
According to McClatchy, unnamed sources told the publication that millions of online bots were unleashed on American social media sites Facebook and Twitter by Russia’s intelligence agencies planting links that would lead readers to such conservative, pro-Trump sites as Breitbart News, InfoWars and Kremlin-backed RT News.
This comes only one day after FBI James B. Comey testifying Monday before the House Intelligence Committee confirmed that the agency was conducting an ongoing counterintelligence investigative examining the nature of any links between the Russians and Trump campaign bosses. Comey indicated that The Fbi was also looking into whether there was coordination between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign and whether “any crimes were committed.”
Army of Russian trolls may have helped Trump campaign
McClathchy’s unnamed sources also claimed that the Russians used an army of human “trolls,” masquerading as Trump supporters, who posted articles or comments on various sites praising Trump or denigrating Clinton.
The operation originated from a cyber warfare facility in St. Petersburg, Russia, according to the sources.
Clinton also used paid trolls to influence election
However, using paid trolls to influence an election is not a new or an isolated tactic in this technological age. During the same campaign, Correct The Record, a pro-Clinton Super Pack announced in a press release that it had spent $1 million to hire trolls to push back against Trump supporters who attacked Clinton online.
Also, trolls and automated bots can be used to spread so-called "fake news." Therefore, a small number of individuals with a low budget armed with the latest technology and know how can spread disinformation to the masses with relative ease and efficiency.
