How Facebook And Twitter Provide The Means For Cyberwarfare

Researchers have gathered a lot of information about the ways in which Facebook and Twitter were used during the last election.  They are being used today in Europe to influence public opinion.  Its hard to identify fake accounts and bots from real Twitter accounts.  Some turn out to be real accounts in which a real person was influenced by fake accounts.  This article provides examples of fake accounts and a few real accounts.  It also describes the activity of businesses that sell real accounts that are not in use by the original owner.  Facebook and Twitter provide the means for cyberwarfare. It is difficult for them to provide a source for the exchange of legitimate information without enabling the most lethal form of propaganda in human history.  Educating our citizens to be better consumers of digital information may be our best defense in an era of sophisticated cyberwarfare.