Twitter has suspended dozens of accounts, some with great reach, posing as Black pro-Trump voters.
The Washington Post reports: “Researchers call fake accounts featuring supposed Black users ‘digital blackface,’ a reference to the now-disgraced tactic of White people darkening their faces for film or musical performances intended to mimic African Americans. Many of the accounts used profile pictures of Black men taken from news reports or other sources. Several of the accounts claimed to be from members of groups with pro-Trump leanings, including veterans, police officers, steelworkers, businessmen and avid Christians. One of the fake accounts had, in the place of a profile photo, the words ‘black man photo’ — a hint of sloppiness by the network’s creators.”
The Guardian adds: “A review of some of the suspended accounts shows they often used stolen images to appear real. The accounts sometimes claimed to be owned by military veterans or members of law enforcement. … Some accounts were able to attract thousands of followers before they were suspended. One tweet, for example, amassed more than 10,000 retweets before it was removed, NBC News found. Another account allegedly used a photo of a veteran who died last month to pose as a Trump supporter.”
