Social media flooded by bots in run-up to Aussie election

Social media flooded by bots in run-up to Aussie election

As political discussions ramp up, experts have warned of disinformation concerns on social media. Photo: Getty Images A flood of fake social media profiles inundating political discussion and reaching millions of Australians during an election campaign has sparked warnings of a growing threat.

Bots influencing election discussion on social media

Nearly one in five accounts discussing Australia's election analysed on a major social media platform were found to be fake, sparking disinformation concerns.

During the Australian election, nearly one-fifth of the accounts in social media discussions surrounding the Australian election were found to be fake accounts, raising concerns about false information and the fairness of the election.