As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, there is growing concern about misinformation and disinformation targeting Black communities. This issue has become a significant threat to voter participation and the integrity of the democratic process.
Supporters of Donald Trump have been creating and sharing artificially generated images depicting Black individuals wearing pro-Trump apparel or engaging in activities that suggest support for the former president. These images, often shared on social media platforms, are designed to give the impression of widespread Black support for Trump like a black man wearing a "Trump 2024" t-shirt.
Two Verified X Accounts Sharing Misleading AI Generated Images
A widely circulated photo on social media depicted a group of Black men and women with Donald Trump, aimed at showcasing support for the Republican candidate.
By checking the photo, Misbar pointed out various flaws indicating it was not real, such as deformities in the hands and unnaturally similar facial features among the women.
Misbar investigative team conducted an analysis of a series of photos similar to the one described, depicting Black supporters for Trump. The investigation revealed that the source of these images could be traced back to two verified accounts on X (formerly known as Twitter).
One of the AI-generated images depicted a Black man associated with the Trump campaign giving a form to another Black man. The investigation traced the origin of this photo to Patrick Ruffini, who had shared it on his social media account.
Although Ruffini later removed the post from his account, an archived screenshot of his tweet containing the image was located.
Another fabricated image shows Donald Trump surrounded by Black supporters, which led us to a verified account named Trump History.
The analysis of the Trump History account reveals that its primary function seems to be sharing content about Trump's presidency, often with a humorous or satirical tone. The account posts various AI-generated images of Trump, including many depicting him with Black celebrities, historical figures, and ordinary Black people.
It is important to note that while these images originated from verified accounts on X (formerly known as Twitter), they were not associated with Trump's official campaign. A Trump campaign official explicitly denied any involvement in the creation or dissemination of these AI-generated images.
The Individuals Behind the Verified Accounts
Based on the investigation into the identities behind the two accounts, we discovered that Patrick Ruffini is a prominent Republican Party pollster and political strategist and the co-founder and founding partner of Echelon Insights, a political research and intelligence firm.
Previously, he founded Engage, LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based political media firm. He is considered one of the country's leading experts on political targeting, technology, and demography.
Ruffini began his career in politics in 2002 at the Republican National Committee and served as the webmaster for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004. From 2005 to 2007, he was the eCampaign Director at the Republican National Committee.
Because of his expertise in digital and data-driven political strategies, his insights on political, demographic, and technology trends are often featured in national media and he has contributed to publications such as the Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight, Politico, and National Review.
Open source community research indicates that the other account, which we previously referred to, is attributed to Joseph Perez who is the owner and operator of the "Trump History" social media accounts, which post AI-generated images of Donald Trump.
Perez is a social media coordinator for PragerU, a conservative media organization and he runs the @Trump_History45 accounts on various platforms, with the largest following on X (formerly Twitter) of over 142,000 followers.
Perez collaborates with Brogan Wassell, a former AI-integration consultant at PragerU, who trained Perez in using Midjourney (an AI imagery tool) and has generated some images for the Trump History account.
Impact on Electoral Participation and Political Narratives
The use of AI-generated images raises significant concerns about authenticity in political messaging. These images can be highly convincing, making it difficult for viewers to distinguish between real photographs and artificial creations.
The spread of these fake images could have several effects:
- Mislead voters about the level of Black support for Trump.
- Influence undecided voters by creating a false sense of momentum.
- Undermine trust in genuine political messaging and imagery.
As a result, This widespread exposure can lead to voter suppression, as false information about voting procedures, dates, and eligibility can prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots.
According to NBC News, the scale of this problem is substantial, with an estimated 40 million Americans potentially exposed to misinformation in Black online communities.
False narratives about voting patterns are being spread to influence Black voters' political decisions. For example, claims of a mass exodus of Black voters from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party have been circulating, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. While there has been a decline in Democratic support among Black voters, it does not necessarily translate to a significant shift towards the Republican Party.
While support has declined, Black voters still overwhelmingly favor Democrats. In the Data for Progress poll, Democrats lead Republicans 80-13 in the generic congressional ballot among Black voters and there is no evidence of Black millennials shifting party loyalties to the Republican or third parties.
Historical Roots and Modern Tactics of Targeting Black Voters
According to Marine Corps University Journal, It is important to note that disinformation campaigns targeting Black communities are not new. They have historical roots in various forms of propaganda and voter suppression tactics dating back decades.
The current landscape of digital disinformation represents an evolution of these tactics, leveraging modern technology to achieve similar goals of influencing Black political participation and perceptions.
For example, In the year 2020, Twitter took action against several fraudulent accounts that falsely claimed to represent Black individuals who had changed their political affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
One notable instance involved an account with the handle @WentDemToRep, which received over 11,000 retweets for a single post. This post alleged that the account holder was a long-time Democrat who decided to vote Republican due to the influence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
During the same year, numerous accounts emerged that consistently shared identical or highly similar messages regarding Black voters abandoning the Democratic Party. This orchestrated behavior, referred to as "copypasta," was employed to artificially boost the visibility and perceived popularity of these claims.
Certain individuals on social media platforms have pointed to survey results indicating a decrease in Black voter support for Democrats. They have used these polls to suggest a large-scale shift of Black voters towards the Republican Party.
In some cases, social media users have shared personal stories of individual Black voters changing their party affiliation. These isolated examples have been presented as if they represent a wider movement, without providing the necessary context or reliable statistical data to support such claims.
As the United States approaches future elections, the threat of targeted disinformation campaigns remains a critical concern. The sophisticated nature of these efforts, combined with the widespread use of social media for news consumption among Black and Latino communities, underscores the urgent need for improved digital literacy, fact-checking mechanisms, and responsible content moderation.
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