One-Week Observation of Information Manipulations Following the 2024 Trump Assassination Attempt
Executive Summary
From July 10, 2024, to July 17, 2024, Taiwan AI Labs observed 69 battlefields and 407 media reports related to the Trump assassination attempt. Within this dataset, 18 media reports (4.42%) were associated with state-affiliated media from China. Out of 713 identified troll accounts, 1,524 were active in discussions related to the Trump assassination attempt. The overall community volume was 312,507, of which 1,524 (0.49%) were associated with troll activities.
Digital discourse was shaped by orchestrated campaigns from troll groups, highlighting two main developments: the worsening political divisions in the U.S. and the potential impact on international conflicts, particularly the Ukraine-Russia War. These troll-driven narratives foster skepticism about the assassination attempt, promote conspiracy theories, and aim to deepen political polarization in American society.
Troll groups’ narratives also address broader issues beyond the assassination attempt, including U.S. political divisions, the upcoming presidential election, and the Ukraine-Russia War. These topics and strategies show a coordinated effort to shape public discourse and potentially influence international relations.
According to coordinated troll activity observed over the week, this report shows the troll-participated stories. These coordinated efforts manifest in several key areas: questioning the authenticity of the assassination attempt, drawing comparisons to historical events like Taiwan’s Chen Shui-bian shooting, criticizing security measures, and predicting impacts on the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
After recognizing the narrative strategies, we selected two significant troll groups for detailed analysis. These groups showed an unusual pattern of simultaneously focusing on multiple geopolitical issues, suggesting coordinated foreign attempts.
The two influential troll groups have distinct strategies to shape narratives. The first group focuses on U.S. politics and the Ukraine-Russia War. This group curated narratives from the Trump assassination attempt to criticisms of Biden’s foreign policy, aiming to influence public perception of both domestic and international issues. The second group dedicates its efforts towards the U.S. conflict involvement, particularly focusing on military aid to Ukraine and the assassination attempt. This group spreads narratives criticizing the U.S. spending on NATO and the UN, seemingly intended to block military aid and influence public opinion on the U.S. international involvement.
As the U.S. navigates through this critical period marked by domestic political tensions and international challenges, the role of digital platforms in shaping political narratives becomes evident. The orchestrated activities of troll groups highlight a complex web of influence aimed at destabilizing public discourse and potentially swaying electoral outcomes. This environment, ripe with disinformation and polarized ideologies, underscores the urgent need for robust mechanisms to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process and maintain stability in international relations.
Methodology
The Taiwan AI Labs employ their analytical tool “Infodemic” to examine information operations across different social media platforms.
Download full report :One-Week Observation of Information Manipulations Following the 2024 Trump Assassination Attempt
