Exposure to the Russian Internet Research Agency foreign influence campaign on Twitter in the 2016 US election and its relationship to attitudes and voting behavior

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35576-9
• Publication Date: 2023-01-09T11:05:07Z
• Authors: Gregory Eady; Tom Paskhalis; Jan Zilinsky; Richard Bonneau; Jonathan Nagler; Joshua A. Tucker
• Keywords: Internationality; Attitude; Science; Q; Politics; 05 social sciences; Humans; Social Media; Article; Russia; 0506 political science

There is widespread concern that foreign actors are using social media to interfere in elections worldwide. Yet data have been unavailable investigate links between exposure influence campaigns and political behavior. Using longitudinal survey from US respondents linked their Twitter feeds, we quantify the relationship Russian campaign attitudes voting behavior 2016 election. We demonstrate, first, disinformation accounts was heavily concentrated: only 1% of users accounted for 70% exposures. Second, concentrated among who strongly identified as Republicans. Third, eclipsed by content domestic news politicians. Finally, find no evidence a meaningful changes attitudes, polarization, or The results implications understanding limits election interference on media.