Scale of Russian interference in European democracy revealed

Evidence of the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency's long-term interest in European politics and elections has been revealed in two new studies from Cardiff University's Crime and Security Research Institute. Taken together the findings provide a strong indication of the kinds of disinformation campaigns that could be directed towards the 2019 European Parliamentary elections on 23 May. While Russian involvement in the 2016 US presidential election has been well documented, most recently in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report, far less has been known about the Internet Research Agency's European operations, until now. Professor Martin Innes, Director of the Crime and Security Research Institute, said: "Our reports clearly evidence a sustained and wide-ranging interest in European politics from social media accounts covertly run on behalf of the Kremlin. By examining in forensic detail some of the tactics and techniques featuring in their historic information-influence operations, this research affords urgent insights about the future threats to the integrity of the democratic process as we approach the 2019 European elections." In an article published in the academic journal Political Quarterly, three specific techniques that were used to amplify the influence of their disinformation campaigns on social media are described. This includes 'buying fake followers', using the same kinds of techniques that some celebrity accounts are known to have used. Researchers say their analysis has allowed them to pinpoint unusual patterns of behaviour that function as 'signatures' or 'tells' that an account is possibly being run by an operator with specific intents.