An investigation by the television channel CNN and the Center for Information Resilience (CIR) found that 17 accounts on social network X of alleged young American supporters of former president and White House candidate Donald Trump They use “stolen and manipulated photos” from European “influencers.”
According to both entities, these accounts are among “the 56 profiles on X identified, many of them with thousands of followers each, that appear to be part of a coordinated campaign to promote pro-Trump content on the internet.”
The investigation found “no indication that the Trump campaign was involved”he stressed CNN.
“Analysis of these accounts reveals a pattern of inauthentic behavior: they use stolen photographs manipulated to include Trump and MAGA slogans on clothing (or, in some cases, images that appear to be AI-generated) and use the same hashtags and similar posts that often include errors in the English language,” they note. CNN and CIR.
The accounts use popular female names like “Eva,” “Luna,” “Sophia,” “Isabelle” and “Samantha” and share common traits, such as listing their location as the United States. Fifteen of the accounts even bear the blue check mark, indicating that “those checks have clearly failed,” according to the study’s authors.
Among those affected by the case are fashion and beauty influencers from Denmark, Germany and Russia, according to the television channel, which interviewed four of the victims, including 32-year-old German Debbie Nederlof.
“To be honest, (I said to myself): ‘What the fuck?’ That was my reaction, because I have nothing to do with the United States. With Trump, with the political things over there. What the hell do I care about American politics from a small place in Germany?” she told CNN Dutch praise.
“While the intent behind fake accounts like Eva’s (one of those discovered) remains unclear, they underscore the growing threat of digital deception. These accounts took images of European fashion influencers and used them, without their permission, to pose as young, pro-Trump American women. In some cases, the images were edited using sophisticated image manipulation techniques,” said CIR, an NGO dedicated to combating “human rights abuses,” as it defines itself on its website.
As part of its joint investigation with CIR, CNN contacted X to notify him of the discovery of the 53 fake accounts identified by researchers, But the social network did not respond, although many of the accounts were later suspended, the report added.
“As the US election approaches, the need for online vigilance is more critical than ever. Social media platforms must step up their efforts to detect and remove inauthentic accounts, while users must remain discerning about the content they encounter online,” the CIR stressed.
“Collaboration between technology companies, government agencies and civil society is essential to effectively combat these deceptive campaigns,” he added.
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