One of MAGA's most prominent supporters seems to have gained notoriety within the movement on the backs of social media bots, according to a report.
Nicki Minaj, a Grammy Award-winning rapper, has spent the last year or more steadily shifting her brand toward MAGA and away from traditional pop culture. That shift has included attacks against prominent Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and repeating MAGA talking points about former President Joe Biden's health and his economy. Minaj was also present at the White House for the launch of President Donald Trump's so-called "Trump Accounts" and was pictured on the red carpet alongside the first lady for the premiere of her self-titled documentary.
But beneath the surface is a "sophisticated army of bots" that are "unconditionally praising and amplifying Minaj’s content," Politico reported.
According to the report, the "inauthentic accounts" amplifying Minaj's posts used "highly similar language" and other cues that led researchers to conclude that they are bots. Overall, the report found that 56% of all comments on Minaj's political posts were from bots.
"The analysis also shows how foreign and domestic political narratives can be manipulated by bot networks without broad public awareness — and how influential figures in the hip-hop world are making inroads into the conservative political conversation in America," the report reads.
