USAupdated 1h ago2 min read
X Suspends More Than 13,000 Accounts Linked to Iran, Russia, and China Ahead of U.S. Midterms
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X suspended more than 13,000 accounts. Linked to three suspected foreign influence operations tied to Iran, Russia and China.
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X suspends 13,000 accounts
X suspended more than 13,000 accounts tied to three suspected foreign influence operations linked to Iran, Russia and China that targeted political conversation in the United States ahead of the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. X said it identified the accounts through “proactive sweeps and investigations” under its rules against spam and coordinated inauthentic behaviour. X Global Government Affairs said, “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and we are proud that X is the global town square where these debates happen.”
X said the networks used inauthentic accounts to post and amplify political content targeting candidates and public figures across the political spectrum. X said it would maintain its measures during the election campaign and after the polls, when the House of Representatives and part of the Senate of the United States will be renewed.
Election safeguards and limits
X outlined election safeguards that included rules against misleading information about how, when or where to vote in the U.S. midterms, as well as attempts to suppress turnout and voter intimidation. X said it would let users report election-related posts through the “civic integrity” option to request a community note providing context. X said it may apply labels to posts that violate its election rules in cases requiring attention, including calls for violence near polling stations.
X also described its authenticity policy as a key tool for detecting and disrupting attempts to manipulate conversations on the platform. X said its efforts would continue through Election Day and beyond, while it maintained monitoring measures during the campaign and after November 3.
Congress control at stake
X’s suspension announcement came as the November 3 elections approached, with the elections determining control of Congress where Republicans defend their majorities in both chambers. EFE said a Democratic victory in either chamber could complicate the passage of his agenda and open the door to new investigations against him. X said its statement did not specify how many accounts belonged to each country or provide specific information about the three operations, their operators, or the extent of their impact on American public discourse.
OpenAI was referenced in the reporting as having shut down two alleged influence operations from Russia and Iran that used ChatGPT to push fake journalist personas and run a “think-tank” that covertly spread anti-Ukraine propaganda. X said it would keep working to identify and stop coordinated inauthentic behaviour that undermines the integrity of its platform, including through proactive sweeps and investigations.