In the past few days, a series of claims have gone viral on social media claiming to have uncovered a network of fake Twitter accounts created to post pro-government messages. These accounts are supposedly being run by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) or a marketing firm linked to them. However, there is no evidence to support these claims according to Twitter and the fact-checking organisation Full Fact.
The claims suggesting the UK government are running fake accounts to steer the coronavirus conversation were originally made by John O’Connell, who runs the “Far Right Watch” website, and one tweet making these claims has been retweeted over 20,000 times.
The DHSC has said on Twitter that “these claims are categorically false”.
Twitter has now said they do not have any evidence on their systems to support his accusations that bot networks are being used to manipulate the conversation around the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our specialist teams currently do not see evidence of large-scale coordinated platform manipulation surrounding the Covid-19 conversation, including suggested coordination associated with the UK government,” said a spokesperson for the social network.
In response O’Connell told the Guardian that Twitter is denying his claims in order to “protect the integrity of their platform”.
Mr O’Connell claims to have identified a network of 128 Twitter accounts, largely impersonating NHS staff members, some of which used photographs of real NHS staff for their Twitter avatars. These accounts are supposedly being run either by or for the DHSC, and shared messages promoting government policies.
Full Fact could only identify one account, “@nhs_susan”, that could be identified as a fake. That account has since been deleted, but some of its tweets can still be seen in a Google cache. It did not, however, contain evidence supporting Mr O’Connell’s broader claims that it was part of a network of accounts run by the DHSC. Full Fact said they have been unable to identify any of the other 127 accounts that Mr O’Connell claims to have found, which he also says were “deleted simultaneously” a few days ago.
“As is standard, we will remove any pockets of smaller coordinated attempts to distort or inorganically influence the conversation. We are continuing to review and require the removal of tweets that do not follow the Twitter rules – half of which we catch before they’re ever reported to us. If people see anything suspicious on our service, please report it to us. This is an evolving global conversation and we will remain vigilant,” Twitter said in a statement.
The account @NHS_Susan claimed to belong to a junior doctor and the profile picture was an image of a real nurse from the website of Unison, a trade union that represents a large number of healthcare workers. The description in the profile’s bio said she was “transitioning in 2020” and “fighting COVID on behalf of all LGBTQ & non-binary people”. Susan was also said to be deaf.
This description, along with a number of tweets allegedly made by the account, could point towards the profile being satire or looking to provoke a reaction. Full Fact stated there were also elements of the account that suggest it may have been intended, at least in part, as a parody of left-wing activists.
The account’s pinned tweet was a call to ban displays of public support for NHS workers, saying: “As a deaf junior doctor, I must say it’s not inclusive for people like me, and children who go to bed early and also dogs who have sensory overload. #bantheclap”
Misleading information or accounts that evoke an emotional reaction are more likely to go viral as are claims that inspire an emotional reaction from us.
“Sharing unsubstantiated online claims like this could damage the national effort against coronavirus and we would urge people not to do so,” a spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care told the Guardian.
Valerie Peay, Director of IOHR, said:
“This sort of misinformation mimics the virus itself. It is an “info”demic that we all need a vaccine from to stave off its attack. I am looking forward to hearing Tom Phillips from Full Fact speaking at the IOHR webinar on the 30th April to find out his views on how we tackle this moving forward.
