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NCRI identified 951 accounts that engaged in “coordinated inauthentic activity” associated with a pro-Harris campaign called #BlueCrew. Researchers have repeatedly documented how propagandists have used automated accounts, or bots, to spread false narratives on social media. NBC NewsNot all accounts that engage in coordinated inauthentic behavior are bots. “These highly inauthentic accounts do more than spread misinformation; they establish a self-reinforcing cycle,” the NCRI report says. “This means that a relatively small subset of orchestrated, inauthentic accounts is responsible for a disproportionately large share of the misleading information being circulated.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, “, Joel Finkelstein, netizens, BlueCrew, Trump, Butler, NCRI, Harris, Mike Johnson, Kamala Harris Organizations: Rutgers University’s Network, Research, Democratic, Trump, NBC, MSNBC Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania, Ohio, Russia, Iran, China, Springfield , Ohio

☆ TikTok says it's not spreading Chinese propaganda. The U.S. says there's a real risk. What's the truth?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dilanianmug.Jpg | Ken Dilanian | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

Is TikTok trying to secretly influence Americans at the behest of the Chinese government? And an analysis of the ownership structure of TikTok parent company ByteDance, obtained by NBC News, argues that the company is deeply entangled with some of China’s major government propaganda organs. The most recent one, published last month, found that TikTok suppresses anti-China content compared to YouTube and other social media platforms. In recent years, according to media reports, Chinese government entities have increasingly taken golden shares in technology companies. “This report establishes that TikTok algorithms actively suppress content critical of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while simultaneously boosting pro-China propaganda and promoting distracting, irrelevant content,” the researchers wrote.

Persons: —, TikTok’s, China —, ’, TikTok, ” Democratic Sen, Mark Warner, — Casey Blackburn, National Intelligence —, ”, ByteDance, Blackburn, Strider, ” Strider, Wu Shugang, “ Organizations: Congress, D.C, Justice Department, NBC News, Network, Research, Rutgers University, YouTube, Department, U.S ., Appeals, District of Columbia, Supreme, Strider Technologies, Communist Party of China, ” Democratic, U.S, of Economic Security, Emerging Technology, National Intelligence, TikTok, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, Net Investment, Technology, Communist Party, China Central Radio, Television Station, Beijing State, Administration, Investment, China’s Ministry of Education Locations: United States, Washington, U.S, China, Tibet, TikTok, People’s Republic of China, Tiananmen, Hong Kong, ”, Xinjiang, Beijing

☆ Former Trump national security advisor John Bolton says Gaza war is still 'in the very early stages'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Former U.S. national security advisor John Bolton believes Israel's war in Gaza is "still in the very early stages" and says it has been complicated by Iran's involvement. Framing the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas as "an Iranian war against Israel," Bolton told CNBC's Dan Murphy: "The fact that Iran has not yet been held to account for any of it, suggests that we're still in the very early stages of the war." "This is not a Gaza versus Israel war, or a Palestinian versus Israel war, or an Arab versus Israel war. This is an Iranian war against Israel, fought through terrorist proxies," he told CNBC on Wednesday. Bolton is a noted foreign policy hawk and has previously advocated for regime change by the U.S. in Iran.

Persons: John Bolton, Bolton, CNBC's Dan Murphy, we're, Israel Organizations: National Security, National Council of Resistance, U.S, Representative, Willard InterContinental Hotel, Washington , DC, Former U.S, Israel, Palestinian Islamist, CNBC, Wednesday, Bolton Locations: Iran, Washington ,, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Iranian, U.S, Syrian, Damascus, Tehran

☆ FBI: 'Financial sextortion' of kids is escalating. What parents can do
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect comments attributable to Chris Hill, an NCRI board member and chairman of the Police Athletic League, a nonprofit youth development group.

Persons: Chris Hill Organizations: Police Athletic League

☆ FBI: 'Financial sextortion' of teens is a 'rapidly escalating threat.' How parents can protect their kids
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Cavan Images | Cavan | Getty Images"Financial sextortion," a type of cybercrime that targets teens and tweens, is on the rise. "Sextortion is a rapidly escalating threat," FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee in December. Financial sextortion is the fastest-growing crime targeting children in North America and Australia, according to the Network Contagion Research Institute. Wealthy parents are more likely to be lenient about social media use. How to protect your kids from sextortion

Persons: Christopher Wray, Sen, Dick Durbin, Criminals, Tracy Kitten, Kitten, didn't, Oladosu, sextortion Organizations: Getty, FBI, Finance, Network, Research, Yahoo Boys, Meta, Strategy, U.S, YouTube Locations: Cavan, North America, Australia, African, U.S, Nigerian, bitcoin, sextortion

☆ Sextortion is fastest-growing crime targeting minors in North America – and social media companies can do more to stop it, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

NCRI, a nonprofit, found cybercriminals used the social apps Instagram, Snapchat and Wizz to find and connect with their marks. And social media platforms should include a distinct category to report sextortion — as Snapchat did in early 2023. Parents and educators should "combat the belief that photos sent on Snapchat disappear, which can create a false sense of security," the NCRI study recommends. The NCRI study also strongly criticized Wizz, concluding: "Sextortion on Wizz is pervasive and dangerous. Apple's App Store and Google Play can also help, the NCRI study suggested, by carefully monitoring complaints about sextortion associated with social media apps, and enforcing their existing policies.

Persons: cybercriminals, Wizz, Paul Raffile, Alex Goldenberg, TikTok, Scribd, sextortion, Snapchat, Goldenberg, screenshotted, General Raúl Torrez, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, — Kevin Collier, Ben Goggin Organizations: Yahoo, Network, Research, FBI, Yahoo Boys, NBC News, CNBC, NBC, Secret Service, Facebook, YouTube, Meta, gov, National Center for Locations: North America, Australia, West Africa, Michigan, Wizz, New Mexico, U.S

☆ X, formerly Twitter, amplifies disinformation amid the Israel-Hamas conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

From the outset of this weekend's Israel-Hamas conflict, graphic footage of abductions and military operations have spread like wildfire on social media platforms, including X, formerly known as Twitter. Under Musk, X has prioritized user-driven content tagging with Community Notes, the preexisting feature formerly known as Birdwatch. While the terrorist organization is banned from most social media platforms, including X, it continues to share videos on Telegram. Paid verification purportedly boosts a user's posts and comments on X, and some posts tagged as misleading have come from those verified users. Correction: This article has been updated to correctly reflect Alex Goldenberg's comment on English-language disinformation on X and Twitter.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Alex Goldenberg, Goldenberg, NCRI, Elon, there's, Paul Bernal, Chris Clarkson, Clarkson, Israel —, we've, " Goldenberg, Alex Goldenberg's Organizations: NBC News, Hamas, U.S, Network, Research, CNBC, Twitter, University of East, BBC, Heywood Locations: Gaza, Sderot, Israel, Covid, University of East Anglia, England, British, Middleton, Ukraine

They also shared their findings with X Corp. days ahead of publication. Musk has claimed, without providing data, that bot activity has fallen since he acquired Twitter. In recent weeks, X Corp. sued Bright Data and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, for example, raising the ire of House Democrats. NCRI partners with Bright Data for pro-bono access to social media data, Goldenberg noted. X Corp. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Sam Bankman, NCRI, Elon Musk, Pepe, altcoin PEPE, Musk, Alex Goldenberg, Goldenberg Organizations: Twitter, Alameda Research, Network, Research, New Jersey GovSTEM, X Corp, Tesla, SpaceX, NCRI, Bright Data, Center, Democrats, Bright Locations: Hong Kong, China, New Jersey

French President Emmanuel Macron held a 90-minute call with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on June 10. Thousands of supportive rallies have been held around the world since her death September, although the nationwide unrest has subsided after Iranian security police clamped down on it. ABORTIVE PLOTNunez's letter put the July 1 NCRI rally in the context of the abortive plot led by Vienna-based Iranian diplomat Assadolah Assadi in October 2018 and three others. "Partner countries have in this regard recently mentioned many planned violent attacks, potentially targeting Iranian opposition figures." The letter said there was also an elevated risk of conflict between the NCRI and rival Iranian opposition groups at the rally, although there had been no incidents at past rallies.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Ban, Emmanuel Macron, Ebrahim Raisi, Laurent Nunez, Shahin Gobadi, Assadolah Assadi, Assadi, Nunez, John Irish, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Paris, Reuters, Council of Resistance, People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran, Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Iran PARIS, Iran, Tehran, Islamic Republic, IRAN, United States, Israel, Vienna, Belgium, Europe, Iranian, Paris , Washington, Saudi, Riyadh

☆ Iran sentences Belgian aid worker to 40 years in prison, Tasnim reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The sentence imposed on aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, was more severe than the 28-year term Belgium had reported in December. It said Vandecasteele, who was arrested while on a visit to Iran in February last year, could appeal the verdict. Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib condemned Vandecasteele's "arbitrary detention" on Twitter and said Iran's ambassador to Brussels would be summoned in protest at the sentencing. "The family is devastated by the news," Olivier Van Steirtegem, who is Vandecasteele's best friend and has been acting as the family's spokesperson, told Reuters. "Olivier is a victim, a hostage," Van Steirtegem said, adding that the Belgian government should do everything possible to free Vandecasteele and condemn Iran's "hostage diplomacy".

☆ Former Trump national security advisor John Bolton says he is considering 2024 presidential bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

John Bolton, who was former President Donald Trump's national security advisor for more than a year, said Monday he is "absolutely" considering launching a 2024 presidential bid — in large part to challenge Trump. Bolton called on GOP leaders to denounce Trump, who is currently the only Republican to announce his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election. Nearly all GOP voters "disagree that Donald Trump is more important than the Constitution," Bolton said. The former national security advisor said his possible presidential platform might be "very Reaganesque." He added that he believes the 2024 presidential field will be "very crowded," and that he might make a decision on whether to run "earlier than some would think."

☆ Here's how Twitter and Elon Musk can prevent racist 'raids' on the social network
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In this photo illustration, the image of Elon Musk is displayed on a computer screen and the logo of twitter on a mobile phone in Ankara, Turkiye on October 06, 2022. When Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk took over at Twitter, showing up at headquarters on Oct. 27, 2022, online trolls and bigots raided the social network, polluting it with a deluge of racist epithets and other hate speech. Their campaign was waged across myriad social platforms including Twitter and Reddit, and manifested in real world rape and death threats, and a bomb scare targeting the critic. Some people engage in so-called "inauthentic" activity on social networks just to see if they can get away with it ("for the lulz"). NCRI uses sophisticated machine learning software and systems to monitor huge amounts of social network content, and to track rising hatred and threats against marginalized groups online, including Black, Jewish, Hindu and Muslim people.

☆ Twitter's head of safety and integrity says more than 50,000 tweets containing a 'particular slur' were posted in 48 hours, amid reports of a racist trolling campaign
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter's head of safety and integrity said 300 users posted over 50,000 tweets with a "particular slur" in 48 hours. Yoel Roth said Twitter has banned the accounts involved in the trolling campaign. His comments, posted on Twitter on Saturday evening local time, came amid a racist trolling campaign that occurred after Elon Musk took over the site. "Over the last 48 hours, we've seen a small number of accounts post a ton of Tweets that include slurs and other derogatory terms," Roth tweeted. "To give you a sense of scale: More than 50,000 Tweets repeatedly using a particular slur came from just 300 accounts."

☆ LeBron James says Elon Musk needs to address 'scary AF' surge of N-word use on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Use of the N-word on Twitter surged by nearly 500% after Elon Musk's acquisition, per The Washington Post. Responding to an Insider article, NBA star LeBron James said Musk needs to "take this very seriously." In a tweet, James referred to the surge of N-Word use as "scary AF." James wrote: "I dont know Elon Musk and, tbh, I could care less who owns twitter. Musk said in a later tweet that "we have not yet made any changes to Twitter's content moderation policies."

☆ Use of N-word on Twitter jumped by almost 500% after Elon Musk's takeover as trolls test limits on free speech, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Joshua Zitser | Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk's Twitter takeover sparked a surge in the use of the N-word on the social media platform. A social media research group told The Washington Post the use of the slur increased by nearly 500%. "Almost immediately I noticed an increase in anti-trans harassment, it's very visible," said Erin Reed, a trans activist and queer legislative researcher, per The Washington Post. Alex Goldenberg, NCRI's lead intelligence analyst, told The Washington Post that "online trolls regularly test the limits of moderation." On the same day, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted that Musk's purchase of Twitter was "the most important development for Free Speech in decades."

☆ Navid Afkari: Executed Iranian wrestling star’s voice is ‘everywhere now’
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-28 | by ( Don Riddell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

Editor’s Note: Wrestler Navid Afkari was executed by the Iranian government on September 12, 2020. On that fateful morning, he learned that another Iranian wrestler, Navid Afkari, had been executed, hanged for a crime that his family and friends say he didn’t commit. The spirit of wrestling is deeply engrained in Iranian culture, where it has transcended the arena of sport. The executionAccording to the Afkari family, his final days were brutal, but there wasn’t necessarily any reason to think that the end was near. Iranians in Canada on Mel Lastman Square demonstrate against the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari by the Iranian regime, in Toronto, Ontario in September 2020.

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