Chris TrottierFeb 22, 2023

As @JosephMenn reports, Russian propagandists are eager buyers of Twitter Blue.

This is because Twitter Blue privileges their posts in Twitter's relevancy algorithm, ensuring their propaganda achieves more reach.

It also gives them a fancy blue badge.

Russian propagandists aren't the only bad dudes buying Twitter Blue. A few months ago, I discovered that the Taliban are also paying for the service.

Twitter Blue: loved by Putin and the Taliban!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/02/22/russian-propagandists-said-buy-twitter-blue-check-verifications/

Russian propagandists are buying Twitter blue-check verifications

As the Ukraine war enters its second year, the presence of accounts pushing Russian propaganda on Twitter has skyrocketed.

The Washington Post
Show threadDocInVTFeb 22, 2023
@JosephMenn @atomicpoet
Always amused to find folks calling our propagandists - such disapprobation almost inevitably cone from a propagandist of the opposing persuasion.
Show threadChris TrottierFeb 22, 2023
@DocInVT I just called the phone number on your website to verify that you’re a real person. It’s not in service. That’s quite suspicious. @JosephMenn
Show threadDocInVT

@atomicpoet @JosephMenn You called once, I picked up. I called it back, you answered, then nothing. So I blocked it.

You’re in BC, aren’t you? Fucking phony-ass propagandist.

Feb 22, 2023 at 10:06pmWeb