Key Takeaways:
– Over 300 Facebook groups disguise themselves as Kamala Harris fan pages but post harmful content and even promote Donald Trump.
– These groups are not part of an organized effort but display a sly approach to spread false information.
– Such supposed fan pages attempt to capitalize on Harris’s popularity for gains, for instance, to market merchandise.
– The American Sunlight Project (ASP) has identified a surge in such groups since Harris joined the presidential race.
The Deceptive Tactics of Facebook Groups
An alarming trend of ‘bait-and-switch’ practices on Facebook has concerned cybersecurity researchers. Misleadingly advertised as fan groups for Kamala Harris, these Facebook communities spread a mix of harmful content, including racist attacks, disapproval of her immigration stand, and promotion of Donald Trump. This technique aims to trick voters, capitalizing on the tense atmosphere of US elections.
Shedding Light on the Sunlight Project’s Findings
This issue came to light when the Washington-based American Sunlight Project (ASP) inspected over 300 such Facebook groups. These falsely portray themselves as Harris admirers, exploiting the Vice President’s popularity to push merchandise or confusion. Interestingly, no signs of an organized scheme were found behind this trend, amplifying its threat at the grassroots level.
According to Nina Jankowicz, ASP’s co-founder and chief executive, such groups commonly nurture a high trust level among members. It makes them more vulnerable to misinformation, whether election-oriented or unrelated, like ‘miracle cures’ or memes. The ‘bait-and-switch’ strategy encompasses the entire political range, including Trump himself. However, an ‘explosion’ of groups focused on Kamala Harris has been evident since her presidential campaign commenced.
Deceptive Tactics in Action
Taking a closer look at these groups reveals their comprehensive deception strategy. A group labeled as ‘Kamala Harris fans’ prides her on being a ‘trailblazer’. Yet, inside the group, posts strive to discredit Harris. In a particularly disturbing incident, a post portrayed Harris as ironically preparing for a talk to Black people. This false narrative echoes Trump’s baseless allegations that Harris was exploiting her race to appeal to African-American voters.
The Stealth Anti-Harris Campaign
Analyzing another unit titled ‘Democratic voices for President Kamala Harris 2024’, hashtags supportive of Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ movement were in evidence. In addition, the group features conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, known for his anti-immigrant endorsements.
Other groups mimic Harris’s title as ‘border czar’ while deliberately discrediting her efforts against undocumented migration into the United States. This attack is a consistent narrative of Trump and his followers. A group ironically titled ‘Kamala Harris 2024′ posted a discrediting meme spotlighting some voters’ preference for a female president amidst the pressing issues facing the country.
Behind the Scenes of these Facebook Groups
Scrutinizing the ‘Harris’ groups, ASP discovered many were managed by lone actors, including moderators from non-US locations like Africa or Eastern Europe. Some groups diverged widely from the Vice President; posting religious cult-like content, fostering spam, or pushing merchandise sales.
Facebook’s Stance on the ‘Bait-and-Switch’ Practices
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has pledged its commitment to protecting elections on its platforms. It asserted its efforts to enforce its policies against violating content or behavior. However, despite this pledge, the rise of such ‘bait-and-switch’ groups on their platform is a matter of grave concern.
Hence, as the Election Day closes in and the subsequent transition period promises to be tumultuous, it is crucial for us to remain vigilant. We should take a deliberate approach when consuming content online, and question the authenticity of the information we come across. This approach could be the first line of defense against such insidious disinformation campaigns.