Russian trolls target Western news websites: BBC

New research shows that comments were posted on Western media articles for several years in support of Russian interests in a major operation to influence international public opinion, the BBC has reported.

Photo:

EPA/ANDY RAIN

A total of 32 prominent media websites in 16 countries were targeted, the British public broadcaster reported, citing findings by Cardiff University's Crime and Security Research Institute.

The comments were fed back into Russian-language media outlets as the basis for stories, the research found.

Pro-Kremlin trolls target news website comments, researchers say https://t.co/R6urE2mfk8

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 6, 2021

The tactic was spotted this year after targeting websites including Britain's Mail Online, the Express and The Times, in addition to Fox News in the United States, Le Figaro in France, Der Spiegel and Die Welt in Germany, and Italy's La Stampa, according to the BBC. 

But the operation is believed to have been escalating since at least 2018 and recently focused on the Western withdrawal from Afghanistan, the BBC reported on its website.

It noted that Russia has consistently denied being involved in propaganda and misinformation campaigns.

(gs)

Source: bbc.com, wirtualnemedia.pl