Latest news with #Cyabra
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Bogus social media accounts fueled backlash over Target rollback of DEI: ‘Masterclass in manufactured outrage'
A coordinated campaign used bogus social media accounts to amplify backlash against Target after the company scaled back its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, according to a blockbuster report. An analysis by Israeli tech firm Cyabra found that nearly a third of the social media accounts driving outrage over the retail giant's policy change were fake. The Minneapolis-based retailert announced it would roll back its controversial initiatives — which had drawn scorn from conservatives for touting items such as tuck-friendly bathing suits — after President Trump returned to the White House on Jan. 20. Cyabra reviewed thousands of posts on Elon Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter, from Jan. 1 to April 21 and discovered that 27% of the accounts were inauthentic — many of which played a major role in pushing boycott narratives. 4 A coordinated disinformation campaign helped amplify backlash against Target, according to a report. REUTERS Cyabra's data showed that inauthentic posts jumped 764% after Target's announcement, flooding the platform with calls for consumer boycotts and viral hashtags like #EconomicBlackout. The firm's CEO, Dan Brahmy, described the backlash as a calculated effort to manufacture outrage. 'What happened with Target is a masterclass in manufactured outrage,' Brahmy told The Post on Thursday. 'Fake accounts hijacked the narrative, weaponized identity and pushed a boycott that looked grassroots but was anything but. This is how influence operations work now — they blur the line between real and fake until no one can tell the difference.' Many of the fake accounts were designed to mimic real users and took on the identities of black consumers or conservative commentators, according to Cyabra's findings, which were obtained by The Post. Some profiles pushed slogans such as 'Target Fast' and '40-day boycott,' while others accused the retailer of 'bending the knee' to Trump. 4 Cyabra's data showed that inauthentic posts jumped 764% after Target's announcement that it was scaling back its DEI. Cyabra One purported X user with the handle NenelsBack posted on Jan. 27: 'Target can't get my money. It's like being betrayed by a family member. We gave Target so much respect. BLK folk named Target, Targe't.' Another with the handle Nickolas Medina fanned the flames on the boycott push by posting on April 18: 'I stopped going to Target because of their support for the trans agenda. I think that is a greater motivation for people to boycott Target Target than DEI.' Both were found to be posted by fake accounts, according to the report, first cited by USA Today. 'We don't just look at what's being said, we analyze how it's being said, and whether they are even real,' Cyabra spokesperson Jill Burkes told The Post. 'We flag accounts that post in lockstep, recycle the same hashtags and slogans, or only interact within closed loops of other suspicious accounts.' Cyabra, which uses artificial intelligence to detect coordinated manipulation campaigns, did not find clear evidence linking the campaign to a specific foreign or domestic actor. 4 An Israeli analytics firm did a study which found a large number of posts from fake social media accounts fueled talk of a boycott. Cyabra However, the tactic of inflaming culture war debates through synthetic engagement has become increasingly common, particularly in polarized consumer environments. In a follow-up analysis of conversations on X from May 27 to June 3, Cyabra found the campaign had not only persisted but intensified. On some days, fake accounts made up 39% of the conversation –outnumbering genuine users. Cyabra has seen similar tactics used against other major brands, from fast food chains to tech companies. 4 Cyabra reviewed thousands of posts on X, formerly Twitter, from Jan. 1 to April 21 and discovered that 27% of the accounts were inauthentic. Cyabra 'The playbook is similar: hijack a polarizing moment, flood the zone with fake voices and let real users do the rest,' Burkes said. 'That's exactly what happened with Target. And it works — the stock dropped $12 billion and real people joined the boycott thinking they were part of a massive groundswell. Many still are.' The Post has sought comment from Target. Last month, Target lowered its full-year sales forecast. CEO Brian Cornell blamed several headwinds, including 'the reaction to the updates we shared on [DEI] in January.' Minneapolis activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, who launched a grassroots boycott of Target on Feb. 1, told USA Today she had no knowledge of the disinformation campaign identified by Cyabra. 'I'm not on X and I know our people in Minneapolis have no involvement in this situation,' Armstrong said.
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
A Target DEI boycott blew up online. Then came questions.
The accounts impersonating Black users actively promoted calls to boycott Target, using trending hashtags such as #EconomicBlackout. Some posts accused Target of "bending the knee" to President Donald Trump, others pushed specific campaigns such as "Target Fast" or "40-day boycott" to persuade people to stop shopping at Target. Cyabra analysts, who use artificial intelligence to identify fake accounts, also uncovered profiles posing as "conservative" voices who mocked the Target boycott. These accounts claimed they already boycott Target over its "woke" policies. While Cyabra said it did not find clear evidence that this was also a rigged campaign to dupe Target shoppers, exploiting political and cultural divisions is a common tactic by influence operations. Similar tactics have been used against other major brands including Nike, Costco and Starbucks, Cyabra spokeswoman Jill Burkes said. "We've seen this kind of behavior in disinformation campaigns tied to elections, brands and social movements around the world," Burkes said. "When fake profiles move in sync, mimic real users and amplify both sides of a divisive issue, it's a clear sign of manipulation. That's what we saw here." Cyabra said it examined the online discussions around the Target boycott after its system flagged multiple tell-tale signs of inauthentic behavior such as spikes in engagement, rapid viral backlash, synchronized messaging, high-volume posting and an unusually high number of fake accounts. Trump says he killed DEI: So why isn't it dead yet? Cracks emerge in war on 'woke' Target did not respond to a request for comment. The backlash against DEI gained momentum during the 2024 presidential campaign but hit a fever pitch when Trump took office and issued a series of executive orders aimed at eliminating "illegal DEI" in the federal government and the private sector. Target was one of the corporations to make concessions in the rapidly changing political climate. In recent months, its customers have pulled back on discretionary purchases amid growing anxiety over the economy and inflation. The company also cited its decision to scrap some diversity policies as a contributor to the sharp pullback in consumer spending in the first quarter as church pastors and other community activists launched protests, spreading word of planned boycotts on social media. Target said the boycotts dented its first-quarter performance but could not estimate by how much. The Cyabra report raises the question if the coordinated campaign of fake accounts had real-world impact on Target. A follow-up analysis of X conversations from May 27 to June 3 found that the coordinated campaign against Target continued to resonate long after the boycotts began, according to Cyabra. Fake social media profiles made up 39% of the accounts, on some days outnumbering authentic profiles. Many of these accounts continued to call on shoppers to boycott Target and promoted the #EconomicBlackout's new campaign that began this week. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis activist who started a Target boycott on Feb. 1, said she could not comment on the Cyabra report. "I'm not on X and I know our people in Minneapolis have no involvement in this situation," she said. Contributing: Betty Lin-Fisher
USA Today
4 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
What fueled the Target DEI boycott? The answer may surprise you
What fueled the Target DEI boycott? The answer may surprise you Show Caption Hide Caption Consumer Boycotts target DEI retreats—are they working? What we know. Consumer boycotts are targeting companies like Amazon and Target, who've rolled back DEI initiatives, but are they working? Here's what we know. An orchestrated campaign to stoke tensions over Target's rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives deployed fake accounts to flood social media with manufactured outrage, a new report claims. Israeli tech firm Cyabra analyzed thousands of posts on social media platform X from Jan. 1 to April 21 as shoppers vented over Target's pullback and activists organized grassroots boycotts. It determined that 27% of the social media accounts it sampled were fake and 'contributed significantly to the viral backlash.' Inauthentic sentiment surged 764% after Target's announcement to roll back some diversity programs, Cyabra found. The accounts impersonating Black users actively promoted calls to boycott Target, using trending hashtags such as #EconomicBlackout. Some posts accused Target of 'bending the knee' to President Donald Trump, others pushed specific campaigns such as 'Target Fast' or '40-day boycott' to persuade people to stop shopping at Target. Cyabra analysts, who use artificial intelligence to identify fake accounts, also uncovered profiles posing as 'conservative' voices who mocked the Target boycott. These accounts claimed they already boycott Target over its 'woke' policies. While Cyabra said it did not find clear evidence that this was also a rigged campaign to dupe Target shoppers, exploiting political and cultural divisions is a common tactic by influence operations. Similar tactics have been used against other major brands including Nike, Costco and Starbucks, Cyabra spokeswoman Jill Burkes said. 'We've seen this kind of behavior in disinformation campaigns tied to elections, brands and social movements around the world,' Burkes said. 'When fake profiles move in sync, mimic real users and amplify both sides of a divisive issue, it's a clear sign of manipulation. That's what we saw here.' Cyabra said it examined the online discussions around the Target boycott after its system flagged multiple tell-tale signs of inauthentic behavior such as spikes in engagement, rapid viral backlash, synchronized messaging, high-volume posting and an unusually high number of fake accounts. Trump says he killed DEI: So why isn't it dead yet? Cracks emerge in war on 'woke' Target did not respond to a request for comment. The backlash against DEI gained momentum during the 2024 presidential campaign but hit a fever pitch when Trump took office and issued a series of executive orders aimed at eliminating 'illegal DEI' in the federal government and the private sector. Target was one of the corporations to make concessions in the rapidly changing political climate. In recent months, its customers have pulled back on discretionary purchases amid growing anxiety over the economy and inflation. The company also cited its decision to scrap some diversity policies as a contributor to the sharp pullback in consumer spending in the first quarter as church pastors and other community activists launched protests, spreading word of planned boycotts on social media. Target said the boycotts dented its first-quarter performance but could not estimate by how much. The Cyabra report raises the question if the coordinated campaign of fake accounts had real-world impact on Target. A follow-up analysis of X conversations from May 27 to June 3 found that the coordinated campaign against Target continued to resonate long after the boycotts began, according to Cyabra. Fake social media profiles made up 39% of the accounts, on some days outnumbering authentic profiles. Many of these accounts continued to call on shoppers to boycott Target and promoted the #EconomicBlackout's new campaign that began this week. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis activist who started a Target boycott on Feb. 1, said she could not comment on the Cyabra report. "I'm not on X and I know our people in Minneapolis have no involvement in this situation," she said. Contributing: Betty Lin-Fisher
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Misinformation on Chinese social media platforms casts shadow on US-China trade truce
HighlightsA surge of misinformation is spreading on social media platforms, including China's Douyin and Weibo, undermining the temporary trade truce between the United States and China. False narratives, such as claims of Americans panic-buying Chinese goods and shopping for supplies in bulk, are being propagated by Chinese state media and social media users, leading to confusion and anti-American sentiment. Disinformation security firm Cyabra identified an anti-US influence campaign on social media involving thousands of fake accounts that targeted global brands, amplifying unfounded narratives about deceptive marketing practices linked to the trade war. From false claims of Americans panic-buying Chinese goods to bot-driven attacks on US brands, a tide of misinformation is casting a shadow over a temporary trade truce between Washington and Beijing. The world's two biggest economies agreed earlier this month to pause reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, a surprise de-escalation in their bitter trade war following high-level talks in Geneva. But an alternate reality is unfolding across social media platforms, including China's Douyin and Weibo, where a surge of falsehoods is fueling anti-American sentiment that could undermine the fragile truce. One online video, which garnered millions of views across those platforms and TikTok, claims to show panicked American shoppers snapping up Chinese-branded television sets in the aftermath of trade tensions. But in reality, that was old footage from 2018 showing Black Friday shopping frenzy at a US supermarket. The falsehood was further amplified by Chinese state media outlets, including China Daily , which ran headlines such as: "Americans are starting to stock up like crazy amid tariffs and snapping up Chinese-branded TVs." A news clip on its website -- more recycled footage from 2018 -- bears a "file footage" watermark in the upper left corner, apparently to shield the outlet from legal liability. Other unfounded claims emerged on Chinese platforms about Americans flying to China to shop for Chinese goods, and that US citizens -- reeling from the economic fallout of the trade war -- were queuing up to purchase supplies in bulk. "These narratives are almost certainly curated by the state, which has become increasingly fluent in harnessing social media," Andrew Mertha, director of the SAIS China Global Research Center at Johns Hopkins University, told AFP. "(They) help align Chinese public opinion with governmental strategy, in this case demonstrating -- albeit inaccurately, certainly prematurely -- that 'the US is already feeling the pain, so China must stay the course.'" Economic jitters US President Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs have sent jitters through the world economy, unnerving investors and roiling financial markets. Under the May 12 truce, the United States agreed to temporarily reduce the tariff on Chinese imports to 30 percent from 145 percent, while China said it would lower its import duty on American goods to 10 percent from 125 percent. Some of the false narratives emerged before the agreement but have continued to spread online, fueling confusion and a broader wave of information chaos. "A lot of friends in China asked me: Are there no eggs in the United States? Is it very unsafe? Are people rushing to buy things? Have you stockpiled anything?" Vivian Wei, a Chicago-based content creator, told AFP. "Some people even (suggested) not to come to the United States for tourism or study." The rumors prompted Wei to tour several supermarkets across Chicago, only to find shelves stocked. While American shoppers seemed unfazed by the swirl of online misinformation, Wei observed that the "Chinese were getting very excited." 'Digital blitz' Last month, disinformation security firm Cyabra uncovered an anti-US influence campaign on the Elon Musk-owned X involving thousands of fake or bot-operated accounts. They targeted global brands such as Gucci, Chanel and Amazon, amplifying the unfounded narrative that they produced goods in China while branding them as "Made in France" or "Made in Italy." The accounts blamed Trump's trade policies for enabling such deceptive marketing practices, while urging consumers to ditch those brands and purchase products directly from China. "This was a digital blitz. A third of the accounts weren't real, but the backlash they triggered was," Dan Brahmy, chief executive of Cyabra, told AFP. "Fake profiles hijacked luxury brands, pushed anti-US narratives, and steered buyers away without raising suspicion. That's what makes it effective." Last month, AFP also uncovered viral TikTok videos by Chinese content creators promoting the spurious claim that international luxury brands were secretly manufacturing their products in China. The targeted brands did not respond to the claim, which appeared to be part of a sprawling campaign exploiting US-China trade tensions to market counterfeit luxury goods. The false narratives are unlikely to fade as trade negotiations continue, experts say. "I believe these narratives will continue and will evolve in parallel with strengthening the Chinese government's negotiating position," said Mertha from Johns Hopkins University.
Calgary Herald
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
John Ivison: The election was a hotbed for disinformation. The next one will be worse
Article content Information manipulation poses the single biggest threat to Canadian democracy, concluded commissioner Marie Josée Hogue, in her final report on foreign interference in federal elections, earlier this year. Article content Article content It probably came as no surprise to the commissioner that emerging technologies amplified the falsehoods during the recent general election. Article content Generative AI has emerged as a new player in the disinformation game, enabling malign actors to create huge quantities of misleading content. Article content Article content Cyabra, a company that monitors disinformation online, published a two-part analysis on the use of fake profiles by co-ordinated networks on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram to target the Liberal campaign and party leader Mark Carney. Article content The claims were often accompanied by fabricated images that suggested Carney is a 'child-molesting pervert' and were shared as if they were authentic. Article content Article content A crossover from the online world to the campaign took place at a Liberal rally in Kitchener, Ont., when a heckler was heard shouting: 'How many kids did you molest with Jeffrey Epstein?' Article content Article content Cyabra's detection systems identified that nearly one-quarter of the X accounts were fake (the software looks for signs like synchronized posting, copy-paste campaigns, fake engagement loops and other bot-like behaviour, such as accounts with no personal bios and using default avatars). Article content It found that 28 per cent of the profiles were fake and pushed negative sentiment, such as labelling Carney as an elitist who was trying to manipulate the political process. The profiles portrayed the political system as corrupt and urged people not to vote Liberal.
