- Twitter removed around 130 fake accounts based in Iran that tried to “disrupt the public conversation” during Tuesday’s US presidential debate, the company announced Wednesday.
- Twitter said the FBI alerted it to the accounts, which ultimately “had very low engagement and did not make an impact on the public conversation.”
- Twitter is still investigating the network and plans to release more details at a later date.
- Intelligence officials have warned that Iran is seeking to spread online disinformation around the US elections, though most say Russia poses a far larger threat.
Twitter said in a tweet Wednesday that it had taken action against approximately 130 fake accounts, likely based in Iran, that attempted to spread disinformation during the US presidential debate on Tuesday.
“Based on intel provided by the @FBI, last night we removed approximately 130 accounts that appeared to originate in Iran. They were attempting to disrupt the public conversation during the first 2020 US Presidential Debate,” Twitter’s safety team said.
In a small sample disclosed by Twitter on Wednesday, the accounts posted content both supporting and opposing President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, as well as questioning the political affiliation of debate moderator Chris Wallace.
Read the article by Tyler Sonnemaker in Business Insider Australia.