Twitter unveiled the biggest bots network for China’s and Russia’s information operations

Twitter has announced the discovery and deletion of a 32,242 accounts coordinated network involved in information transactions, which became the biggest number having been detected until today.

The company has published a detailed description of three separate information operations carried out by China, Russia and Turkey.

In particular, the Kremlin’s 1,152 propaganda accounts, which had tweeted 3,434,792 times, were deleted.

China used a network of 23,750 main accounts, and 150,000 additional ones, which were run to disseminate the information further.

Most of the blocked accounts are connected to the pro-Kremlin Twitter account “Actual Politics,” which came into force in early 2013. During this period, almost 58,000 posts were placed there; the page had 150,000 followers. The publications were focused on the pro-Kremlin order upturn and Putin with “United Russia” support.

The identified network was also aimed at increasing the popularity of the federal initiatives, e.g. “Leaders of Russia” and “Skolkovo.” Some of these accounts represented government agencies. The others represented United Russia politicians, including deputies of the State Duma and Moscow City Duma.

Natalia Tolub