'No ifs, many bots': Partisan bot-like accounts amplify divisive content on X

As a follow-up to an earlier investigation, Global Witness identified 45 additional bot-like accounts on X active in the run-up to and aftermath of the UK's 2024 general election, examining posting behavior between May 22 and July 22. The accounts collectively produced around 610,000 posts that generated more than 4 billion views in total.

Of the identified accounts, 28 posted content supportive of Reform UK, 14 supported the Labour Party, and a smaller number expressed support for the Liberal Democrats or Conservatives. The content amplified included racist and sexualised abuse, conspiracy theories, and climate disinformation. After the UK election, a number of the same accounts pivoted to posting about other unfolding global events, including anti-migrant protests in Ireland, the assassination attempt against Donald Trump, and Joe Biden's withdrawal from the US presidential race.

Global Witness explicitly states it found no evidence that any UK political party paid for, used, or promoted these bot-like accounts. The report frames the findings as illustrating the scale of apparent inauthentic amplification of divisive content on X and the platform's continued difficulty containing it around high-stakes political moments.