Examples of Organized Social Influence

• “Stolen Election”: The spread of the “stolen election” narrative, particularly surrounding the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, was a notable example of how fake news can propagate quickly through social media platforms through organized social influence that gets amplified on social media.
• Russian Interference in U.S. Elections: The Internet Research Agency, a Russian troll farm, ran an organized campaign to influence the 2016 U.S. elections by spreading divisive content and misinformation through fake social media accounts (Speckhard et al., 2020).
• Cambridge Analytica Scandal: Cambridge Analytica harvested data from millions of Facebook users to influence voter behaviour in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit referendum, raising concerns about the ethics of data-driven influence campaigns. This example is covered in more detail in Section Spread of Misinformation — Fake News Chapter New Media.
• Corporate Greenwashing: Companies sometimes orchestrate campaigns to present themselves as socially responsible or environmentally friendly, even when their actual practices contradict these messages.

Social influence on social media is a powerful force that shapes opinions, behaviours, and social norms on a massive scale. From everyday interactions among peers to organized efforts by governments and corporations, understanding these dynamics is crucial for anyone seeking to navigate the digital landscape effectively. As social media continues to evolve, so too will the tactics used to influence public discourse, making it more important than ever to remain vigilant and critical of the information we consume and share.