Thread by @smartereveryday

Hey it's me Destin, from Smarter Every Day. Now that it's time to elect America's next leader, I would like to share something very interesting and important with you. I've been paying attention to this for a while, and I think if you look for it, you see it too.
🧵 1/n

Because of the election, social media is about to experience an incredible crescendo of misinformation and disinformation. There will be a cacophony of social media bots trying to make you hate your fellow Americans. I'd like to show you how they work.
2/n

Many of the accounts you will see over the next few days, weeks and maybe months have been built over several years by America’s enemies. These accounts have been slowly building credibility by liking random posts, swapping innocent memes…commenting in ways that seem innocent, all to build social capital in the form of followers and credibility in small communities online.
3/n

We now know that in 2016 the "Internet Research Agency" (a bot farm in Russia) developed a ton of accounts to try to promote anger and hatred in America. I used the Wayback machine to go back and look at some of those those accounts. Check some of these out.
4/n

Here's John Davis. Seems like a nice guy. 2nd Amendment supporter... clearly seems to love America.
5/n

In June, well before the election, this account was engaging in all kinds of stuff. Lots of gun stuff... random photos. Slowly building followers and small time engagement.
6/n

A little over a week after the election, here's the account introducing the verbiage of revolution into the conversation all the while gloating and trying to rub it in the other side's faces...
6/n

By April, this account had gathered 38,000 followers. Who knows how many were actual Americans and how many were other inauthentic accounts. Every once in a while the mask would come off and you could see the account comment about Russia. Fascinating stuff.
7/n

I recommend going to the wayback machine and checking out some of the memes on this account. They're not singular in nature, they cover a variety of topics. Some mundane, some very serious. Don't click this link yet I want to show you more.

8/nweb.archive.org/web/2017041502…

The next account I want to show you is from Crystal Johnson. She's from Virginia and she's relatable, so obviously she couldn't be a bot account designed to make you hate your fellow Americans, right? June before the election this account was sitting at around 7k followers.
9/n

Posts on this account flip back and forth from wholesome to horrifying. The focus seems to be racial division. Any crack in race relations anywhere in America... this account tries to drive a wedge there and hit it with a sledgehammer... The account is even recruiting actual people... lawyers, to do something? By election time, this account had 22,500 followers.
10/n

Another account was South Lone Star. With 20.6k followers in September before the election this account was already trying to cast doubt in the integrity of elections in America. I actually didn't expect to find this post on votes, but I stumbled on it tonight. 20,600 followers. Why do you think it would benefit Russia to artificially amplify stories making you question election integrity?
11/n

Do posts like this look familiar? This was a Russian troll account in 2016. Looks like the stuff I've seen all week. Basically these accounts just amplified real things happening in America.
12/n

There were also a TON of odd memes, fake groups and organizations made on facebook. Here are some of pages that were removed when they were discovered. You'll notice the attempt to get you and others to identify as a part of a certain group. "Like us!"
13/n

There were even a ton of really strange memes made. I'm a Christian. I know NO Christians who would make something like this. This sort of thing serves to make non-Christians think Christians are total idiots, increasing the divide.
14/n

Now, with the benefit of hindsight, all this look obvious right? It's not. This kind of stuff STILL WORKS ON AMERICANS. Useful idiots get riled up, and retweet, comment and post this stuff. Even if it's to disagree it's still amplifying it. DON'T BE A USEFUL IDIOT.
15/n

If you ever detect "The Nudge"... a post that makes you really angry to the point that you feel like you need to respond. Or maybe a post that makes you think of yourself as a part of a special tribe... Think about that, because that's the play. I've noticed something new..
16/n

I have a file folder on my phone called "Nation Divided". I've noticed an uptick of high quality graphics and memes trying to get states to think of themselves as independent units. For months now, whenever I see a post that reminds me of this I'll throw it in the folder.
17/n

Seeing a lot of games for simulating civil war in America...
18/n

Here's an interesting one someone on Reddit identified recently. A post about Texas being a superpower. See if you can spot it....
19/n

Did you see it? If not, let me help. Who in Texas uses the phrase "warm water ports"? Who outside of Texas does?
This post has popped up on Reddit several times now. I wonder if that account is still active. Let's check...
20/n

Oh man... this account is still up. This exact POST is still up. Just yesterday this account retweeted a post about Robert E Lee trying to decide if he should fight the Union. This was YESTERDAY. (It's also trying to get you mad about that squirrel by the way).
21/n

I've also noticed what I'll call "Smaller Fracture Granularity".
Instead of trying to get Texas to secede from the Union, I've noticed accounts trying to get me to hate my neighbor and get North Alabama to think of ourselves as very different from Central Alabama etc.
22/n

Just so you know, if you're not from Alabama... these divisions aren't a thing. So why the heck would a 1 hour old Reddit account post a photo like this saying something like "What is the best way to divide up Alabama". I screenshotted this the moment it happened.
23/n

One goal is to create chaos to the point that we don't trust anything... so to that end, my little thread here kind of plays into the enemy's hand a bit. I'm not asking you to be so paranoid you can't function. I'm just asking you to look for "the nudge".
24/n

A few years ago I interviewed 4 Star General Robert Brown. He explained a new concept called "Multi Domain Operations", or MDO for short. He explained that we are now the battlefield. You and I, right now.
(Video: )
25/n

Academia knows about these accounts and have been studying them to develop ways to detect them. There are far more of them now than there were in 2016, and now they may be using AI etc to be more effective.
26/n

Understand you are on the battlefield, and the enemies of America have spent YEARS and lots of money to create social media weapons.... these carefully cultivated and well positioned social media accounts..and they are going to use them. When? Many will be used RIGHT NOW.
27/n

We're at the election... so here's the deal. In the next days, weeks, maybe months.. something IS going to make you mad. There will be actual injustices that occur...and there will also be an army of accounts pounding at the door of your heart trying to amplify your hatred.
28/n

You have to be

SMART!

And you ARE smart. It's time for precision to defeat hatred. Love your neighbor. Don't be a useful idiot who boosts stupid posts meant to amplify division.
29/n

Keep an eye out for posts that are trying to anger you.
When possible, reach out directly to your neighbor and try to build a bridge. People pounding keyboards on the other side of the world are not your neighbor. Try not to get sucked in to the hate. Don't let them win.
30/31

I've been thinking about this stuff a lot. I love America. Yes we have our problems, but there's no where like it. We are all so different, but we are UNITED.
E Pluribus Unum.

I'm Destin. I love you and I'll be praying for you.
Now go do the thing.