Utah Governor Spencer Cox warned that foreign adversaries are using social media bots to fuel anger after the murder of Charlie Kirk. He urged people to step back from toxic feeds and spend time with family. According to FOX 13 News, Cox said the goal is to incite violence and deepen divides.
Cox cites disinformation and urges a reset
“There is a tremendous amount of disinformation we are tracking,” Cox said. He added that adversaries want violence and run bots from Russia, China, and other places to spread falsehoods. He asked people to turn off those streams and seek healing offline.
Scrolling the past few days, the country can feel more split than ever. Cox said many outrage posts are not from fellow Americans. He framed the problem as organized disinformation, not just heated debate.
Experts outline bot scale and tactics
Cybersecurity strategist Paul Keener of GuidePoint Security said bots are more common than many think. He estimated that bots can make up 20-30% of all internet traffic. A 2023 study he cited found more than half of cyber traffic came from bots, though not all are malicious.
Keener said bad actors push harder during tense moments. He noted signs in replies, like aggressive tone, polarizing language, and context-insensitive responses. These patterns can flood feeds and shape the debate.
“Modern warfare” and how AI boosts reach
Cybersecurity expert Erich Kron called the effort “a part of modern warfare.” He said foreign groups use social platforms to pit Americans against each other. When people fight internally, the nation becomes more vulnerable to outside threats.
Kron said AI tools lift this activity. They can generate graphics, content, and translations at new scale and low cost. He said the impact has grown compared to three or four years ago.
Kron urged caution when posts seem designed to provoke quick shares. He said the most outrageous content draws more clicks, which algorithms then amplify. He suggested stepping away to reset perspective.
Keener listed red flags for fake accounts. Profiles may be newly created with odd names or random numbers. You might see recycled content across multiple accounts. Unnatural behavior, like nonstop activity, is also a warning sign.
If you face harassing messages or threats online, the report said to notify the platform. You can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and contact local police if the threat is nearby.
