How cat videos help spread lies
Peddlers of misinformation are using cute animals to manipulate algorithms.
New Tang Dynasty Television, a station linked to the Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong, posted a Facebook video of a woman saving a baby shark stranded on a shore. Next to the video was a link to subscribe to The Epoch Times, a newspaper that is tied to Falun Gong and that spreads anti-China and right-wing conspiracies. The post collected 33,000 likes, comments and shares.
Cats, including Grumpy Cat, have been viral stars for almost as long as the internet has existed. @RealGrumpyCat
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