Racially incendiary Russian ads apparently had their intended effect

[G_j]

https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/06/06/racially-incendiary-russian-ads-apparently-had-their-intended-effect

Facebook accounts with Russian ties not only sowed racial and cultural division, but their ads preceded spikes in hate crimes


One of the ads depicted a Mexican immigrant as a ravenous boll weevil and a “parasite.” Another purported to show a map of a planned American “Aztlan.” One claimed that President Obama “literally called for open war against police officers and whites.” Another depicted Islamic immigrants bringing “a culture of violence.”

Hundreds of these kinds of ads — 3,517 of them, to be precise — appeared on social-media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram during and after the 2016 election campaign, purchased by the Russian-based Internet Research Agency (IRA). Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s February indictments of 13 Russians and three companies is focused primarily on the IRA’s activities.

A report last month by USA Today explored the content and nature of the ads, and concluded starkly that their main purpose was to heighten racial tensions in the United States: “Divisive racial ad buys averaged about 44 per month from 2015 through the summer of 2016 before seeing a significant increase in the run-up to Election Day. Between September and November 2016, the number of race-related spots rose to 400. An additional 900 were posted after the November election through May 2017.”

Moreover, new data suggests that these ads were extraordinarily successful in achieving their goal.

..more..

[msongs]

1. depends on whether people actually watch those ads. never watch or even see

ads when on FB. only read the posts on the timeline.

[SunSeeker]

6. Some of your friend's posts in your timeline probably were reposting ("Share" function) this crap.

If you are on Facebook, you probably saw this crap and didn't know it was Russian propaganda.

[pazzyanne]

7. I have a friend that reposts this stuff on Muslims, mexicans, etc.

I always fact check her posts and then ask for clarification with links from her. It irritates her but so far she hasn't blocked me.

[dalton99a]

2. Kick

[lunasun]

3. K&R

[spanone]

4. this election was stolen on so many levels

[herding cats]

5. The scary thing about propaganda is it works on its targeted audiences and they never realize it.

I've witnessed that first hand over and over again.

[JI7]

8. i think for them it "confirms" their bigoted and hateful beliefs

they believe it because they want to believe it.

[herding cats]

9. That's exactly right.

They see what they want to believe and they cling to it like a drowning man does a life preserver.

[SergeStorms]

10. Russia's ads, along with....

Trump's overt racism throughout his presidential campaign, were more than enough to ignite the deep racism and xenophobia of the Trump cult. They really didn't need much. Republicans have been 'dog whistling' this hate for decades, but Trump tore off any pretense of civility with his constant racist remarks.

Hate and fear, the hallmarks of the Republican party. They really are the only issues they have to run on.

[duforsure]

11. This is what ,

Psychological warfare from Russia looks like, which they're using it on a grand scale against us. Trump is using it too for them.