Thread by @marcowenjones

1/Just a quick weather update on biolab mis/dis/information and or propaganda. Who is discussing Ukraine and biolabs, and what are they saying? Who are the most retweeted and most influential in the past 48 hours. #ukraine #disinformation

2/ See clusters 1, 2 & 3. Cluster 1 is mostly people criticising the biolabs conspiracy, or the absurdity of it. Cluster 2 are generally those that can be considered active in the spread of propaganda or misinformation. Cluster 3 is a French NWO type spreading Russian propaganda

3/ Zooming in on Cluster 1 for example, @atrupar is calling out @TuckerCarlson for misrepresenting biolab info. @oneunderscore__ wrote a piece on the conspiracy and its 'dumb' origins. @JoeTrippi is sharing Ben's and @kevincollier's critique of the conspiracy

#Ukraine

4/ Cluster 2. The most influential are @TulsiGabbard and @TuckerCarlson as well as @repmtg . All are involved in some form of manipulation or propaganda. Right wingpolitician Marjorie T Greene leads in with a 'not only is it true', as if someone were hiding the biolabs

5/ Obviously secrecy and hiding add to the conspiratorial element. @TuckerCarlson uses hyperbole and simplification, claiming EVERYONE who says there are biolabs is accused of treason. He's basically talking about a spat between Tulsi Gabbard and Mitt Romney. Indeed, no one

6/ is denying there are biolabs, so presumably we are all traitors Tucker? Then there is Tulsi Gabbard, who likes talking about biolabs, and who once parroted Kremlin denial propaganda about use of chemical weapons in Syria. See more from @EliotHiggins

7/ As @RVAwonk stated, Gabbard's disinformation is insidious, and attempts to invoke a parity of responsibility when Russia is the clear aggress >

#ukraine

8/ Some other cluster 2 members include; @jackposobiec (we all know him), @thevivafrei (this guy keep suggesting the biolabs are a 'secret'), @tomfitton (author), former RT journalist @rachblevins (who is backing up Tulsi & still has the 'russian state-affiliated media' label)

9/ Of course Sputnik are in the mix, defending Tulsi. There are many more in the cluster, but it's clear the right-wing information ecosystem in particular is latching onto this story. At the extreme end, QAnon are using it to blame Ukraine for Covid19!

10/ I want to finish with a few comments. The conspiratorial nature of this biolabs misinfo relies a lot on the trope that it was 'secret', hidden by the US. This trope got a big boost when a journalist falsely claimed US Embassy in Kyiv deleted docs >

11/ This trope has been jumped on by Chinese officials too as well as Russian, as well as the US right - read this thread for more >

12/ An important thing to remember is this. It's not about believing #disinformation that's important. The fact so many are expending media resources to talking about this as opposed to, say, covering the invasion, is a massive distraction that benefits Putin. If the Kremlin

13/ can shift the news agenda, at least in part, to talking about something else, especially if that thing can be used as a stick to beat the current administration with by the opposition, #Ukraine does not benefit.

And now to Tony with the sport

14, also, the French account is >