Fake It Til You Make It: A Natural Experiment to Identify European Politicians' Benefit from Twitter Bots
This study investigates how the removal of malicious bots on Twitter affects follower counts among EU politicians.
Research Design
Following a July 2018 purge by Twitter, we analyze changes in followers across all EU MPs using new data tracking their digital engagement during that period. Since bot users had no control over Twitter's intervention,
the analysis provides causal evidence.
Key Findings
Follower drops were concentrated among radical right politicians—especially those with strong anti-EU messaging. This pattern suggests these groups relied heavily on automated engagement for visibility and influence.
Why It Matters
Our findings offer the first empirical proof that bot interference disproportionately benefits certain political actors, potentially altering electoral dynamics in Europe. The emoji (🇪🇺 🤖) enhances readability but does not replace substantive details.
