Analysis Reveals Growing Number of Fake Accounts Praising or Attacking Biden and Trump on Social Media Platform X

Fake accounts on social media platform X are proliferating, with a recent analysis by tech company Cyabra revealing that a growing number of accounts praising or attacking President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are not authentic. The report, shared with Reuters, comes less than six months before the 2024 election, where Biden and Trump are expected to face off in a rematch for the White House.

Cyabra, an Israeli company, conducted the analysis by reviewing posts on X (formerly Twitter) throughout March and April. The study found that the number of newly detected fake accounts rose tenfold over the two-month period. Specifically, 15% of accounts promoting Trump and denouncing Biden were fake, while 7% of accounts praising Biden and criticizing Trump were also inauthentic.

The report identified 12,391 fake accounts out of 94,363 promoting Trump, and 803 out of 10,065 accounts supporting Biden. Cyabra’s machine learning technology concluded that the pro-Trump accounts are part of a coordinated campaign with messages like “Vote for Trump” and “Biden is the worst president the U.S. has ever had.”

Rafi Mendelsohn, Cyabra’s vice president, expressed concern over the level of coordination among the pro-Trump accounts, suggesting a “nefarious objective” to change people’s opinions. U.S. intelligence officials have previously warned about foreign actors seeking to influence elections, with Russia, China, and Iran often highlighted as potential threats.

While Cyabra’s analysis did not specify the origin of the fake accounts, the findings raise questions about the integrity of online discourse surrounding political figures. As the 2024 election approaches, the prevalence of fake accounts on social media platforms like X could have significant implications for public opinion and the democratic process.