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    How To Spot Russian Trolls Online Ahead Of 2020 Election

    Many of those inspirational messages you see online may be an attempt by Russia to sow discord among Americans ahead of the 2020 election.
    Nov 27, 2019 4 minutes
    Some of the Facebook and Instagram ads linked to a Russian effort to disrupt the American political process and stir up tensions around divisive social issues, released by members of the U.S. House Intelligence committee, are photographed in Washington. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick, File)

    As the end of the year approaches, social media is flooding with inspirational memes and messages.

    But have you ever thought about who is creating these messages? If not, Clemson University researchers suggest you start considering who is posting the content you share online and why.

    Many of these inspirational posts are part of the latest attempt from Russia to sow discord and discontent among Americans ahead of the 2020 presidential election, researchers say.

    Two researchers at Clemson — Darren Linvill, associate professor of communication, and Patrick Warren, associate professor of economics — have studied the strategy and tactics of professional trolls.

    The duo has looked at the methods of Russia’s former Internet Research Agency, which

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