![\"Iran](\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/10\/Iran-Regime-used-fake-Twitter-accounts-to-push-its-agenda-800.jpg\" "\\"Iran-Regime-used-fake-Twitter-accounts-to-push-its-agenda-800\\"")
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By Staff Writer<\/p>\n
Hundreds of Iran-based Twitter accounts were posing as foreign journalists and US citizens in order to push pro-Regime messages until they were suspended earlier this year, according to research released on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The Atlantic Council\u2019s Digital Forensic Research Lab analysed the campaign and noted that it reflected an attempt by some in Iran to \u201cspread regime messaging through covert channels\u201d. Thankfully, it is believed to be less pervasive and effective than Russia\u2019s coordinated disinformation operation before the 2016 US Presidential election.<\/p>\n
In August, Twitter reported that it had suspended 770 accounts that originated in Iran for engaging in \u201ccoordinated manipulation\u201d, following an analysis by cyber security firm FireEye. This also led to similar takedowns on Facebook and YouTube.<\/p>\n
All three companies promised increased vigilance, but Twitter said that they would make their efforts transparent. That\u2019s why on Wednesday, Twitter promised it would release roughly 10 million tweets and 2 million images, live video and other content, that was created by the Iranian accounts.<\/p>\n
Twitter\u2019s head of site integrity Yoel Roth and legal, public policy, and trust and safety lead Vijaya Gadde wrote in a blog post: \u201cIt is clear that information operations and coordinated inauthentic behaviour will not cease.\u201d<\/p>\n
They vowed to continue fighting any attempt to undermine the integrity of Twitter.<\/p>\n
Twitter also shared about 1.1 million tweets from Iran with the Atlantic Council, who could not say for certain that all were directly linked to the Regime, but did note that the accounts \u2013 sometimes operated by bots \u2013 pushed the messages of the Iranian Regime over a six-year timeframe.<\/p>\n
Some were pretty explicit, linking to government-funded media outlet PressTV, but the majority disguised their links by claiming to be foreign news outlets or everyday Americans. They mostly focused on Iranian issues, but at times would dabble in American politics.<\/p>\n
It is lucky that they did not gain much traction, largely failing to reach influencers or gain many engagements.<\/p>\n
The Atlantic Council concluded: \u201cThey were ill-adapted to the platforms they sought to use.”<\/p>\n
But they have praised Twitter for providing and releasing the cache of tweets, as researchers can now study these in order to gain more information.<\/p>\n