WASHINGTON, Nov 1, V7N -Researchers from the American Sunlight Project (ASP) have uncovered a disinformation tactic on Facebook involving "bait-and-switch" groups that pose as fan pages for Vice President Kamala Harris but spread racist, sexist, and anti-Harris content, including pro-Trump messages. Analyzing over 300 such groups, ASP found many misleading Harris supporters with content ranging from personal attacks to promotion of merchandise and conservative political messages.

The ASP’s research shows that many of these groups are managed by individuals from outside the U.S., including Africa and Eastern Europe, and were often created by renaming existing groups to gain visibility. Some groups contained unrelated topics, becoming hubs for spam and unrelated content. The tactic leverages trusted spaces in social media to spread disinformation, Nina Jankowicz, ASP's co-founder, explained. Although not exclusive to Harris, such groups appear to have surged since her presidential candidacy announcement.

Facebook's parent company Meta has not commented on these findings, though the behavior appears to violate its policies on inauthentic and deceptive content. Meta previously shut down CrowdTangle, a tool useful for monitoring misinformation, replacing it with an evolving Content Library. As the 2024 election approaches, researchers urge users to critically assess online content to avoid misinformation.