An AI-driven DEI initiative has sparked controversy, especially as around one-third of social media posts called for boycotts against Amazon and McDonald’s. This revelation comes from an analysis by a cybersecurity firm.
According to an Israeli company named Cyabra, which specializes in disinformation analysis using AI, about 30% of negative posts on platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok originated from fake users associated with a group called Coderated Campaid.
Cyabra discovered that these digital attacks were organized in a rather strategic way, including the establishment of fake news sites like Newsaz and The Worlds Best News, which reported on supposed boycotts of McDonald’s last month on Facebook.
It’s worth noting that both McDonald’s and Amazon had previously scaled back their diversity initiatives in January, coinciding with President Trump’s inauguration.
Interestingly, Cyabra highlighted that an organization called People’s Union USA is spearheading similar boycott efforts, although pinpointing the individual orchestrating this coordinated campaign remains unclear.
Jill Burkes, who heads PR and communications at Cyabra, stated there’s a clear pattern in the social media boycotts involving Target, McDonald’s, and Amazon. She remarked that these brands used consistent slogans, visuals, and hashtags, connecting various accounts to amplify their posts.
Cyabra’s analysis covered over 5,000 profiles discussing McDonald’s between June 19 and June 26, revealing that 32% of these were identified as fake. Many of the accounts focused on the company’s reversal of its DEI policies, utilizing hashtags like #deirollback, #corporateaccountability, and #economicjustice.
In a similar vein, Cyabra found that 35% of 3,000 accounts discussing Amazon from the start of the year until June 20 were fraudulent. A more targeted analysis of posts on X from June 1 to June 24 indicated that a striking 55% of accounts involved in discussions about Amazon were also fake.
These bots frequently employed matching hashtags, including #PrimeDayStrike, #Amazonstrike, and #AmazonFail.
The campaign doesn’t seem to align strictly with any particular political ideology, according to Burkes, but instead aims to heighten divisions between different viewpoints.
Some fraudulent accounts pose as progressive entities opposing DEI rollbacks, while others mockingly present themselves as conservative users criticizing the brands for their original policies.
Burkes emphasized that the aim isn’t necessarily to take sides; rather, it seems focused on manufacturing polarization and drawing genuine users into a larger emotional discourse.
Cyabra notes that fake profiles typically make up about 7% to 10% of total social media activity. However, this figure tends to spike during discussions on contentious topics like politics, elections, and conflict zones.
Bots often imitate grassroots movements and sometimes adopt broader perspectives. For instance, posts linked to the McDonald’s boycott used hashtags like #WorkingClassPower and #economicBlackout.
The organization reached out to McDonald’s and Amazon for comments regarding this situation.
