Summary:
- Fake Donald Trump accounts on X (@TrumpUpdateHQ and @thedonaldtriumph) are actively spreading misinformation about Bangladesh’s political situation and Chief Adviser Yunus, gaining thousands of views.
- Following the Hasina government transition, these accounts exploit X’s reduced content moderation, spreading false narratives particularly focused on anti-Bangladesh, pro-right wing, and pro-India perspectives.
- A notable incident occurred when fake account @therealdonaldtriumph falsely claimed to support Hindus facing violence in Bangladesh after Modi’s congratulatory message about Trump’s victory.
- These accounts have been consistently pushing biased content, including recent celebrations of alleged deportations of Bangladeshi immigrants from India, despite X’s policy requiring clear identification of parody accounts.
A surge of disinformation about Bangladesh continues to spread on X (formerly Twitter) through fake accounts impersonating former US President Donald Trump, highlighting growing concerns about social media manipulation in the region.
Two prominent accounts, @TrumpUpdateHQ and @thedonaldtriumph, have been actively disseminating misleading content about Bangladesh’s political situation and Chief Adviser Yunus, garnering thousands of views despite having no actual connection to Donald Trump[3][6].
The proliferation of these accounts has intensified following the transition from the Hasina government, exploiting X’s reduced content moderation after Elon Musk’s decision to dismantle the platform’s oversight team. While X’s policies permit parody and fan accounts, they must clearly identify themselves as unaffiliated with the original person[5].
Notable Incidents of Misinformation
A significant incident occurred in November 2024 when a fake Trump account, @therealdonaldtriumph, falsely claimed to “stand with Hindus facing violence in Bangladesh” in response to Indian PM Modi’s congratulatory message about Trump’s victory. The fabricated interaction gained widespread traction before being debunked.
The accounts have particularly focused on promoting anti-Bangladesh narratives, often aligning with pro-right wing, pro-Israel, and pro-India perspectives. On December 29, @TrumpUpdateHQ posted celebratory content about India’s deportation of eight allegedly illegal Bangladeshi immigrants[1][3].
Impact of AI and Social Media Manipulation
The situation reflects a broader trend of sophisticated social media manipulation, now enhanced by artificial intelligence tools. Recent investigations have revealed coordinated campaigns using deep fake videos and AI-generated content to influence public opinion in Bangladesh[6].
These developments align with global patterns where fake accounts serve to create false engagement and spread misleading narratives, often causing significant damage to national reputation and public trust[5]. The phenomenon has become particularly concerning as advanced AI technology makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish authentic accounts from fraudulent ones[4].
The persistence of these fake accounts underscores the growing challenge of combating digital disinformation in Bangladesh’s political landscape, where social media platforms have become battlegrounds for competing narratives and influence campaigns[3][6].
Source: TBS News
