Are the government using fake social media accounts to push their agenda AGAIN?

[noblegiraffe]

Interesting allegation on twitter last night that a government department organised fake twitter accounts using photos of real NHS workers (without permission) to push an ‘end lockdown’ agenda.

twitter.com/jdpoc/status/1252266724449230848?s=21

It’s something this particular bunch have done before so shouldn’t be instantly dismissed.

Haha. But remember that at least it wasn't Corbyn who did this

That is consistent with a pattern of posting on here over the last few days too. I’m seeing more and more “nhs staff” without posting histories popping up to say how the NHS is fine and lockdown needs to end right now. Even if they are really NHS staff, I think I’ll stick with the epidemiologists.

At least half the internet is populated by fake news / trolls / scaremongering / random nutcases / contradiction / shitstirrers at the moment.

I can't bring myself to read any of it.

They want us all to agree lifting the lockdown is what we need to do so they can say "you asked we listened"

The is no evidence why I feel certain things are fake its just,

Pictures of my nhs friends on social media detailing the bruises left by the visors from 12 hour shifts asking their friends to stay home stay safe

Threads on mumsnet detailing they have no patients in the hospital pretty much bored

Nightingale hospital no/few patients

Sick people refused hospital due to no beds or saying no need and subsequently dying

There are many others but the whole thing doesn't make sense when taken as a whole either people are sick or they arnt if they are why are they not being treated?

I dont understand!

I agree it's confusing. Aside from lies and fake news and personal agendas...could there be a lot of regional variation? I'm not sure what to make of it.

To me it looks like really bad planning and management.

This is why people getting their outrage from Twitter are consistently amazed that they are wrong after every election.

The people who have been pushing this are the same that pretend they are not susceptible to fake news.

twitter.com/MarkDiStef/status/1252571539989385216

Some people are prepared to believe anything if it confirms their view.

Once again highlights the 'critical thinking' of the anti tory crowd and political shills on mn.

1. the account (among others) is definitely fake, the hospital confirms it

2. it has tweeted positively about Boris Johnson and defended the government

3. The team around Boris Johnson has form for using bots on social media, fake accounts and manipulation

The only question is whether the claim that these particular fake Boris-loving accounts were organised by the DHSC in any way. The twitter denial doesn’t particularly refute this claim.

Even if it isn’t the government this time (they don’t appear to be off the hook yet), the question would remain as to who it is and what their agenda is.

There are probably a lot of threads on here that are fake but are designed to cause outrage amongst people and confirm agendas - but never actually happened.

People believe what they want to believe and are more than happy to have threads that confirm their beliefs.

The only question is whether the claim that these particular fake Boris-loving accounts were organised by the DHSC in any way. The twitter denial doesn’t particularly refute this claim.

They weren't this is people wanting to believe something, there was no evidence in the original tweet.

This has all the hallmarks of another 4chan bait, that again some have fallen for and, instead of holding their hands up at seeking to be outraged just want to double down because it confirms thier preconceived narrative.

Can you expand on "another 4chan bait"?

This has all the hallmarks of another 4chan bait

Do you think the journalist who says he has proof is lying or just mistaken?

Like I said, troll-y accounts typically claim "it was all a joke" or "it's ironic", all the while very effectively spreading exactly the ideas they want disseminated, or just plain ol' disinformation and distrust.

Russian propaganda/ election manipulation techniques used by Cummings. Doesn’t he have some very dodgy Russian connections?

Oh yeah and then blame 4Chan. Cummings all over. He wishes he was a nerdy teen and not a creepy old man with a receding hairline wearing a hoodie and carrying a backpack.

Not true. Been proven. Why do the left believe everything they read? It’s baffling.

What's not true Loving? What has been proven?
And if you can provide links to a reputable source eg an NHS Trust (as others have done) that would help.

I see the story has reached the Guardian now. The article doesn't sound that supportive of the theory www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/21/no-evidence-of-nhs-government-covid-bot-networks-says-twitter

Interesting that the Guardian called it a spoof twitter account instead of a fake one. A real picture of an NHS worker straightforwardly tweeting support for the government over PPE is spoofing what, exactly? Not many people go to look at the rest of people’s timelines when scrolling past a retweet.

Very odd.

The people going ‘why do the left believe everything that they read?’ should perhaps bear in mind that it’s believable exactly because they’ve done it before.

fullfact.org/online/evidence-network-fake-nhs-tweets/
why do so many people really believe the rubbish spouted on twitter?
Other 'stories' examined by full-facts are also very revealing - like the 50,000 ventilators. I suggest some of you should check your political bias and look for the real facts. You would learn something (possibly)

You just need to look at the stats though to see that the majority of the people in intensive care are old and have underlying health conditions - no-one is making that up. The ONS is not part of the government.

But we need an end lockdown agenda, but why should the government make things up - we have the stats already and the economy cannot survive another few months of this - where do you think the money for the NHS/Schools/bins/infrastructure will come from OP?

And OP if the (left-leaning) Guardian called it a spoof account then it's likely to be spoof. But, you really should not be trying to score political points at the moment.

Which of these is false?

1. the account (among others) is definitely fake, the hospital confirms it

2. it has tweeted positively about Boris Johnson and defended the government

3. The team around Boris Johnson has form for using bots on social media, fake accounts and manipulation

People very much need reminding that there are definitely fake accounts posting on social media (including MN) and to be wary of people’s claims, and suspicious of people’s agendas.

why should the government make things up

Why did the Times have as it’s front page headline on Sunday about schools opening in 3 weeks when it was blatant shit-stirring bullocks?