‘Black’ Facebook group ID’d as Russian front
A Russian-linked Facebook page called “Blacktivist” peddled merchandise online as part of its efforts to stoke racial tensions prior to the 2016 presidential election, it was reported Friday.
A total of 87 items — including shirts with slogans such as “Young, gifted and black” and “Melanin and muscles” — were sold through Face- book’s store function, CNN said.
The slogans were intended to make it appear like the attire came from US Black Lives Matter activists. But it was actually being promoted by a social-media campaign with ties to the Kremlin.
The accounts, now suspended, are among those turned over to Congress as part of its probe into Rus- sia’s meddling in last year’s election.
The “Blacktivist” group also exerted its influence in other ways, including promoting at least seven rallies and demonstrations around the US last year via its Facebook page.
The founder of New Knowledge, which monitors the spread of online misinformation, told CNN that the promotion of events and sale of merchandise bears all the hallmarks of Russian propaganda.
“The Russian objective the entire time has been to pit Americans against each other and to prey on divisions that already exist and to capitalize on the hyper-partisan environment that already exists in the US,” Jonathon Morgan said.