RUSSIA PROBE: Kremlin used all social media platforms to aid Trump, reports say

A twin report by private experts released on Monday by US senators has revealed that Russia used all social media platforms to aid Trump during the 2016 elections.

The report also noted that the disinformation campaign on US social media is much more far-reaching than initially thought.

Revealing more, the reports added that Russia’s disinformation campaign included attempts to divide Americans by race and extreme ideology.

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The reports, one by social media analysts New Knowledge and the other by an Oxford University team working with analytical firm Graphika noted that the Russian government’s Internet Research Agency, based in St Petersburg, Russia, tried to manipulate US politics.

The twin reports largely verified earlier findings by US intelligence agencies, but offered much more detail about Russian activity going back years.

For instance, one Russian troll farm tried to encourage US “secessionist movements” in California and Texas, the New Knowledge report said.

“What they tried to do is divide US public opinion by the existing divisions that were there,” Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher said, reporting from Washington, DC.

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