Russia is targeting user accounts on the social media platform Bluesky to disseminate fake articles. This strategy involves hacking into real users’ accounts to post misleading content.
One such case involves Ben Gilbert, an economist and professor at the Colorado School of Mines. Gilbert’s social media activity typically relates to his expertise in natural resources. Recently, a video appeared on his account that criticized France’s involvement with Ukraine, attributing domestic police shortages to French aid. This was done without his consent.
According to Bluesky and researchers at Clemson University, Gilbert’s account was among hundreds compromised to spread this misinformation. The attackers targeted influential but not widely known individuals, such as journalists, professors, and other professionals. Examples include a Texas pollster and a Hollywood filmmaker. The latter’s account featured a manipulated video using artificial intelligence to impersonate a Canadian police officer criticizing France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
The Clemson research team connected these actions to the Social Design Agency, a Moscow-based company. This illustrates Russia’s ongoing efforts to undermine public support for Ukraine, where hostilities began in 2022.
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