Twitter deleted more than 170,000 accounts, some of which tried to play Covid-19 for Chinese interests

Published

4 years ago

June 12, 2020

First conspiracy theorists said she started the pandemic. Now she's afraid for her life

The company said the account “spread geopolitical narratives that benefited the Chinese Communist Party” and was removed for violating its platform manipulation policy.

The removal of Twitter is the latest development in Silicon Valley’s attempt to frustrate the government using social media platforms to encourage narration in their favor.

Twitter is officially blocked in China, although many people in that country can access it using VPN. Among the targets of the Chinese campaign were overseas Chinese “in an effort to exploit their capacity to expand party-state influence,” according to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a group that works with Twitter to analyze accounts. Twitter said the accounts were tweeted “mostly in Chinese.”

Renee DiResta, research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, who also analyzed the account, said that many of those who posted about Covid-19 throughout the spring were only founded in late January.

“The narrative around Covid,” the SIO wrote in his analysis, “praised China’s response to the virus while the tweet also used a pandemic to antagonize US and Hong Kong activists.”

Twitter said it had identified 23,750 accounts which it referred to as “a very involved core network” used to tweet favorable content to Beijing and 150,000 further accounts used to strengthen content, for example, by retweeting content posted by core accounts.

23,750 accounts collectively tweeted 348,608 times, according to researchers at Stanford.

Twitter says many accounts have been identified earlier and hence have a low number of followers and low involvement.

This is not the first action taken by Twitter. In August 2019, the company deleted less than 1,000 accounts believed to be operating in mainland China to “deliberately and specifically try to sow political strife in Hong Kong.”

The company also announced Thursday that it had closed accounts related to Russia and Turkey.

Twitter found more than 1,000 accounts promoting the ruling United Russia party.

In Turkey, a network of 7,340 accounts posted content supporting the AK Party from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Stanford researchers say the account has tweeted 37 million times.

Tweets from many closed Twitter accounts will be posted by companies to the archive where they can be studied.

Goodwin Townsend

General internet buff. Hardcore music maven. Typical foodaholic. Friendly student.

Portuguese historical films will premiere on 29 December.

Published

1 year ago

December 20, 2022

Herb Adkins

Portuguese historical films will premiere on 29 December.

Method Media Bermuda will present the documentary FABRIC: Portuguese History in Bermuda on Thursday, December 29 at the Underwater Research Institute of Bermuda.

A spokesperson said: “Method Media is proud to bring Bermuda Fabric: Portugal History to Bermuda for its 5th and 6th showing at the Bermuda Underwater Observatory. In November and December 2019, Cloth: A Portuguese Story in Bermuda had four sold-out screenings. Now that Bermuda has reopened after the pandemic, it’s time to bring the film back for at least two screenings.

“There are tickets Ptix.bm For $ 20 – sessions at 15:30 and 18:00. Both screenings will be followed by a short Q&A session.

Director and producer Milton Raboso says, “FABRIC is a definitive account of the Portuguese community in Bermuda and its 151 years of history, but it also places Bermuda, Acors and Portugal in the world history and the events that have fueled those 151 years.

“It took more than 10 years to implement FABRIC. The film was supported by the Minister of Culture, the Government of the Azores and private donors.

“Bermuda Media Method [MMB] Created in 2011 by producer Milton Raposo. MMB has created content for a wide range of clients: Bermuda’s new hospital renovation, reinsurance, travel campaigns, international sports and more. MMB pays special attention to artistic, cultural and historical content.

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Herb Adkins

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CRISTANO RONALDO CAN MAKE UP A GIANT IN CARIOCA AND PORTUGUESE TECHNICIAN SAYS ‘There will be room’

Published

1 year ago

December 20, 2022

Herb Adkins

CRISTANO RONALDO CAN MAKE UP A GIANT IN CARIOCA AND PORTUGUESE TECHNICIAN SAYS 'There will be room'

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Herb Adkins

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Maestro de Braga is the first Portuguese in the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba.

Published

1 year ago

December 19, 2022

Herb Adkins

Maestro de Braga is the first Portuguese in the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba.

Maestro Filipe Cunha, Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Braga, has been invited to conduct the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, as announced today.

According to a statement sent by O MINHO, “he will be the first Portuguese conductor to conduct this orchestra in its entire history.”

In addition to this orchestra, the maestro will also work with the Lyceo Mozarteum de la Habana Symphony Orchestra.

The concerts will take place on 4 and 12 March 2023 at the National Theater of Cuba in Havana.

In the words of the maestro, quoted in the statement, “these will be very beautiful concerts with difficult but very complex pieces” and therefore he feels “very motivated”.

From the very beginning, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 will be performed by an Italian pianist (Luigi Borzillo), whom the maestro wants to bring to Portugal later this year. In the same concert, Mendelshon’s First Symphony will be performed.

Then, at the second concert, in the company of the Mexican clarinetist Angel Zedillo, he will perform the Louis Sfora Concerto No. 2. In this concert, the maestro also conducts Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.

“This is an international recognition of my work. An invitation that I accept with humility and great responsibility. I was surprised to learn that I would be the first Portuguese member of the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra. This is a very great honor,” the maestro said in a statement.

“I take with me the name of the city of Braga and Portugal with all the responsibility that goes with it, and I hope to do a good job there, leaving a good image and putting on great concerts. These will be very special concerts because, in addition to performing pieces that I love, especially Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, I will be directing two wonderful soloists who are also my friends. It will be very beautiful,” concludes Filipe Cunha.

Herb Adkins

Proud web evangelist. Travel ninja. Creator. Freelance food nerd. Passionate bacon fanatic.