Cyber Experts Suspect Bot Network Amplifying New York Mayor Adams' Social Media Posts

A Jerusalem Post investigation has uncovered suspicions of a coordinated bot network amplifying content related to New York City Mayor Eric Adams on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Cybersecurity experts involved in the probe traced IP addresses linked to this activity back to New York City government, though the exact operators remain unidentified.

The findings emerged from data analyzed by the World Zionist Organization's department combating online antisemitism, which identified dozens to potentially hundreds of accounts exhibiting unusual behavior. These accounts posted hundreds of tweets daily, mostly retweets, with many profiles recently created and showing minimal personal content. Some accounts posted over 800 tweets per day, a volume experts say is unlikely to be human-driven.

The bot-like accounts primarily boosted posts from Mayor Adams' official account, other city accounts, and allied political figures. This amplification reportedly increased the posts' reach by hundreds of percent, potentially generating millions of views through an algorithmic feedback loop involving both automated accounts and real users.

While the investigation does not prove that Mayor Adams or his team directed this activity, it raises questions about whether city communication staff were aware or involved. The World Zionist Organization plans to share the findings with U.S. authorities, including Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the U.S. Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, to prompt further investigation.

The report highlights concerns that such online influence operations contribute to the spread of antisemitism and social tensions in New York and beyond, calling for federal intervention to address coordinated online manipulation.

Summary: Cybersecurity experts suspect a bot network linked to New York City government is artificially amplifying Mayor Eric Adams' social media posts on X, raising concerns about coordinated online influence and prompting calls for U.S. law enforcement investigation.