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FBI 'investigating role of Breitbart and other right-wing websites in spreading fake news with bots'
The FBI is reportedly set to investigate right-wing news websites like Breitbart over allegations that they worked with Russian-backed operatives to disseminate stories favouring President Donald Trump.
Investigators are looking into whether agents used online "bots" to disseminate both real and fake news stories which supported the billionaire businessman across social media, at times when his campaign appeared to be struggling.
Sources told US publisher, McClatchy that these strategically timed computer commands created millions of social media posts linking to articles on far-right websites including Breitbart News, InfoWars and the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News.
Some of the articles that were posted were completely false, while other contained a mixture of fact and fiction.
The outlets have all been criticised for publishing inaccurate stories in the past.
But McClatchy reported that investigators are now trying to establish whether the websites were complicit with the people managing the bots or the operatives were managing them without their knowledge - which is entirely possible.
It is widely believed Mr Trump was the preferred candidate of Russian President Vladmir Putin during last year’s election campaign.
FBI chief James Comey, this week told Congress there was an ongoing investigation into possible Russian links with Mr Trump’s team.
The Bureau suspects people working for Russia designed the bots – a type of software used to replicate simple activities online much faster than a human – to spread pro-Trump and anti-Clinton articles.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...tes-fake-news-bots-donald-trump-a7641826.html
FBI 'investigating role of Breitbart and other right-wing websites in spreading fake news with bots'
The FBI is reportedly set to investigate right-wing news websites like Breitbart over allegations that they worked with Russian-backed operatives to disseminate stories favouring President Donald Trump.
Investigators are looking into whether agents used online "bots" to disseminate both real and fake news stories which supported the billionaire businessman across social media, at times when his campaign appeared to be struggling.
Sources told US publisher, McClatchy that these strategically timed computer commands created millions of social media posts linking to articles on far-right websites including Breitbart News, InfoWars and the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News.
Some of the articles that were posted were completely false, while other contained a mixture of fact and fiction.
The outlets have all been criticised for publishing inaccurate stories in the past.
But McClatchy reported that investigators are now trying to establish whether the websites were complicit with the people managing the bots or the operatives were managing them without their knowledge - which is entirely possible.
It is widely believed Mr Trump was the preferred candidate of Russian President Vladmir Putin during last year’s election campaign.
FBI chief James Comey, this week told Congress there was an ongoing investigation into possible Russian links with Mr Trump’s team.
The Bureau suspects people working for Russia designed the bots – a type of software used to replicate simple activities online much faster than a human – to spread pro-Trump and anti-Clinton articles.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...tes-fake-news-bots-donald-trump-a7641826.html
