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55m ago

Study Finds Bot-Like Network Drove False Nazi/MAGA Claims About Taylor Swift

GUDEA says a small set of inauthentic accounts seeded the narrative, which spread as refutations amplified it.

© Sergii Figurnyi
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The report also found overlap between accounts pushing anti-Swift narratives and those involved in a separate smear campaign targeting Blake lively.
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Overview

  • GUDEA analyzed more than 24,000 posts from 18,000 accounts across 14 platforms between Oct. 4 and Oct. 18 related to The Life of a Showgirl.
  • Just 3.77% of accounts generated about 28% of the conversation, with the most inflammatory allegations pushed by coordinated, inauthentic profiles.
  • Two surges were identified: Oct. 6–7 saw roughly 35% bot-like posting, and Oct. 13–14 reached about 40% inauthentic activity with conspiracist content comprising 73.9% of volume after a lightning-bolt necklace release.
  • Researchers say the claims often originated on fringe forums such as 4chan and KiwiFarms before migrating to mainstream apps, where algorithms and debunking by real users increased their visibility.
  • Investigators found significant overlap with accounts tied to a separate smear of Blake Lively and describe a cross-event amplification network, while the perpetrators and motives remain unidentified.