Pro-Moscow voices tried to steer Ohio train disaster debate

Not long after the Ohio train derailment, pro-Russian voices on Twitter began spreading anti-U.S. propaganda about the incident. Many of the accounts were awarded blue check marks by Twitter under a new verification policy announced since Elon Musk bought the social media platform. The accounts also parroted Kremlin talking points about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and in many cases recycled material from Russian state-controlled media. Researchers at Reset, the London-based nonprofit that uncovered the accounts, say they show how authoritarian governments are hijacking social media platforms operated by U.S. companies for the purpose of meddling in domestic debates.