Taylor Swift’s album sparked accusations of Nazism. Research says it was a coordinated online attack
Taylor Swift hit by bot-fuelled Nazi conspiracy campaign, study finds
- Research by the AI-driven platform Gudea found a coordinated online attack accusing Taylor Swift of promoting Nazi and right-wing ideologies through her latest album.
- The campaign, primarily driven by bot-like accounts, interpreted Swift's song lyrics and merchandise, such as a lightning-bolt necklace, as references to white supremacy and SS insignia.
- Gudea's analysis of over 24,000 posts and 18,000 accounts revealed that a small percentage of accounts generated a significant portion of the discussion, pushing conspiracy theories linking Swift to the MAGA movement and trad-wife norms.
- Significant spikes in bot-like activity were observed in October, with up to 73.9 per cent of conversation volume on certain days being driven by inauthentic accounts and conspiracist content.
- The study highlighted a 'cross-event amplification network' influencing multiple celebrity controversies, suggesting that such strategically seeded falsehoods can convert into widespread authentic discourse, even if not initially believed.