Janice R. Andrews
A troubling plot involving a phony political organization called “Patriots Run Project” that was successful in enlisting a legitimate candidate in Montana has come to light as a result of Meta’s recent crackdown on inauthentic activity. This sophisticated misinformation effort encouraged people to run for office on a made-up anti-establishment platform in an attempt to sway American politics. Facebook, under Meta’s ownership, moved quickly to ban the organization from its network.
The goal of the “Patriots Run Project” was to inspire citizens to oppose establishment Republican and Democratic leaders. People in states including Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina were the campaign’s main target demographics. In order to carry out this strategy, the gang allegedly created 124 fictitious Facebook pages, groups, and profiles in addition to three Instagram accounts, according to Meta’s assessment. These accounts propagated a narrative centered on gun rights, border security, traditional values, and election fraud while posing as respectable political activists with the intention of galvanizing pro-Trump, anti-establishment politicians.
The organization advertised its fake agenda on Facebook with a total expenditure of $50,000. Their methods were particularly dishonest; they used proxies to give the impression that they were citizens of the places they were targeting, along with fraudulent accounts that were purportedly “acquired” from Bangladesh. Meta found connections between the Patriots Run Project and people connected to the American organization RT Group, while the precise identity of the people behind the scam are still unknown.
David Agranovich, head of security policy at Meta, pointed out that the organization had some success prior to the dismantling of their operation. Despite Meta’s efforts to prevent the Patriots Run Project from garnering significant support, the organization was successful in enlisting one candidate for Congress from Montana. Although it’s still unclear if the person spoke with the fictitious Facebook profiles, the group’s reach is worrisome.
With the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaching, Meta is stepping up its efforts to counter coordinated inauthentic conduct, and this takedown is part of that effort. Additionally, Meta has issued a warning that other players—like misinformation operations headquartered in Russia—will probably try to sway discussions around the election, especially those that center on US backing for Ukraine. Agranovich emphasized how these tactics might spread stories disparaging politicians who want help to Ukraine.
The Patriots Run Project was effectively disrupted by Meta on its platform, although the organization is still active elsewhere, as seen by its webpages and activities on X (previously Twitter). This case serves as a sobering reminder of how persistent and complicated misinformation operations have become in the digital age.
