Meet @MadWorldNews, a #MAGA newsbot that links a lineup of right wing media sites, most frequently Daily Wire. Most tweets are sent via automation tool dlvr(dot)it, with occasional HootSuite use as well.
cc: @ZellaQuixote
cc: @ZellaQuixote
@MadWorldNews @ZellaQuixote Curiously, all of @MadWorldNews' tweets seem to get at least six retweets, and many get exactly six. Given that the account has 105K followers, some attention is to be expected, but the level of amplification seems remarkably consistent. What's going on?
@MadWorldNews @ZellaQuixote As it turns out, it's the same six accounts retweeting every one of @MadWorldNews' tweets: @TheNewResist, @PatriotCELL, @america_danger, @USAPatriotMAGA, @RightSTuff4U, and @The4GNet (@MadWorldNews RTs itself here and there for good measure.) All are automated via dlvr(dot)it.
@MadWorldNews @ZellaQuixote @TheNewResist @PatriotCELL @america_danger @USAPatriotMAGA @RightStuff4U @The4GNet The result: a botnet consisting of seven accounts featuring the exact same content posted on pretty much the same schedule (the six amplifier accounts are generally a few minutes behind @MadWorldNews.)
@MadWorldNews @ZellaQuixote @TheNewResist @PatriotCELL @america_danger @USAPatriotMAGA @RightStuff4U @The4GNet Why bother setting up a botnet to amplify the tweets of an account with 105K followers? Upon closer inspection, many may not be legitimate - the proportion of new-at-the-time @MadWorldNews followers with default pics and few or no tweets increases sharply after the first 12K.
