Journal article
Disinformation, performed: self-presentation of a Russian IRA account on Twitter
Information, communication & society, Vol.22(11), pp.1646-1664
09/19/2019
DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2019.1621921
Abstract
How disinformation campaigns operate and how they fit into the broader social communication environment - which has been described as a 'disinformation order' [Bennett & Livingston, (2018). The disinformation order: Disruptive communication and the decline of democratic institutions. European Journal of Communication, 33(2), 122-139] - represent critical, ongoing questions for political communication. We offer a thorough analysis of a highly successful disinformation account run by Russia's Internet Research Agency: the so-called 'Jenna Abrams' account. We analyze Abrams' tweets and other content such as blogposts with qualitative discourse analysis, assisted by quantitative content analysis and metadata analysis. This yields an in-depth understanding of how the IRA team behind the Abrams account presented this persona across multiple platforms and over time. Especially, we describe the techniques used to perform personal authenticity and cultural competence. The performance of personal authenticity was central to her persona building as a likeable American woman, whereas the performance of cultural competence enabled her to infiltrate American conservative communities with resonant messages. Implications for understanding disinformation processes, and how some aspects of the hybrid media system are especially vulnerable to hijacking by bad actors are discussed.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Disinformation, performed: self-presentation of a Russian IRA account on Twitter
- Creators
- Yiping Xia - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJosephine Lukito - University of Wisconsin–MadisonYini Zhang - University of Wisconsin–MadisonChris Wells - Boston UniversitySang Jung Kim - University of Wisconsin–MadisonChau Tong - University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Information, communication & society, Vol.22(11), pp.1646-1664
- Publisher
- Routledge
- DOI
- 10.1080/1369118X.2019.1621921
- ISSN
- 1369-118X
- eISSN
- 1468-4462
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/19/2019
- Academic Unit
- School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Center for Social Science Innovation
- Record Identifier
- 9984459619402771
Metrics
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