Online misinformation groups: a network within the network.

Let’s analyze accounts interacting with a specific account and let’s see with what other accounts they interact.

We would have the idea that organically people replying or RT-ing a certain account have different interests and follow different people.

We would expect that if the activity is not organic, a large part of the actions performed (like commenting or replying to posts on social media) all follow a specific pattern.

At the following links and images I have collected data and visualization for the accounts RT and replied by users RT-ing @vox_es:

@vox-es overall activity and Retweets

@vox-es replies

Let’s compare this with some other parties accounts from the opposite political spectrum, @psoe and @iunida:

@psoe overall activity, RTs only and replies only

@iunida overall activity, RTs only and replies only

We can see how the behavior is completely different by observing how the replies for the accounts in the population aren’t necessarily directed at accounts of the opposition with the same volumes, suggesting a more organic behavior.

Some more distribution for accounts in the Spanish right:

@okdiario

@inesarrimadas

@alvisepf

@hermanntertsch

@carlesenric

@estadodalarmatv

@abc_es

@gonnassau

@pablocasado_

@jorgebuxade

@elmundoes

@frayjosepho

@elaguijon_

@guajesalvaje

@javiernegre10

@juanfraescudero

@idiazayuso

@alfonso_ussia

@tonicanto1

@willytolerdoo

@crpandemonium

@cristinasegui_

@girautaoficial

@ldpsincomplejos

@Macarena_Olona

@rosadiezglez

@JosPastr

What is particularly interesting is how the first two accounts replied by users in these population are always @psoe and @peniche. I would tend to think this accounts are set as targets, suggesting some organized strategy to boost a certain political narrative.