Recent Twitter Changes Exploited By Russia, China, Iran To Disseminate Disinformation: Report

The recent changes made to Twitter by newly-appointed CEO Elon Musk are seemingly becoming advantageous to accounts controlled by governments of Russia, China and Iran on the social media platform. The changes reportedly facilitate the acquisition of new followers and amplification of the dissemination of propaganda and disinformation to a broader audience for these governments.

Post Musk's takeover, Twitter has discontinued the implemention of necessary measures to restrict the influence of state-run media outlets from China and Russia, in a major contradiction to the platform's previously stated policies.

Some of the post-Musk changes introduced by Twitter include discontinuing the practice of labeling state-controlled media and propaganda agencies as well as lifting the prohibition on the automatic promotion of their content. Such modifications have provided countries like Russia with enhanced capabilities to spread inaccurate information and false claims about its invasion of Ukraine, U.S. political issues and similar topics, according to ABC News.

Reset, a London-based non-profit organization that monitors authoritarian governments' use of social media to disseminate propaganda, asserts that Russian state media accounts have experienced a 33% surge in views since the introduction of the modifications.

At the same time, the recent changes made to Twitter algorithm have led to a remarkable upsurge in user engagement, amounting to over 125,000 supplementary views per post. Among the posts that witnessed escalated views included those which propagated contentious views such as the role of the CIA in the Sept. 11, 2001 assault on the U.S., accusing Ukraine's leaders of corruption in hoarding foreign aid and justifying Russia's invasion of Ukraine in view of U.S. allegations that Moscow was running secret biological warfare labs in the region.

State news agencies belonging to Iran and China also registered comparable boosts in their interaction ratios in the aftermath of Twitter changes.

Twitter made a significant move in 2020 to identify and affix labels on verified state-controlled media accounts while prohibiting them from appearing in search results. Additionally, the platform announced its decision to flag tweets with links to government-controlled websites such as RT.com and Global Times. The social media giant further advised users to "stay informed" and alerted them of the editorial control of Russia or China over the coverage of their outlets.

While Twitter's state-affiliated media policy still acknowledges its provision of "additional context for accounts heavily engaged in geopolitics and diplomacy," the "Stay Informed" labels are no longer visible.

Dmitry Medvedev, a high-ranking government official and former president of Russia, utilized the social media platform to express negative views about Ukraine. Despite the sensitive nature of the commentary, Twitter did not restrict the content.

In a lengthy 645-word tweet labeled "WHY WILL UKRAINE DISAPPEAR? BECAUSE NOBODY NEEDS IT," Medvedev used derogatory terms such as "Nazi regime" and "blood-sucking parasites" to describe Ukraine. The post garnered significant attention with more than 7,000 retweets and 11,000 likes.

A question was raised to the new Twitter chief about the allowance of tweets with language often associated with genocide being broadcasted by Russian officials.

Musk respnded, "I'm told Putin called me a war criminal for helping Ukraine, so he's not exactly my best friend. All news is to some degree propaganda. Let people decide for themselves."

As Twitter seeks new means to enhance its revenue, the modifications may potentially distance advertisers.

Presently, the company is demanding a $8 monthly fee from users for the blue verified check mark, which was previously exclusive to public figures, journalists and celebrities.