In all seriousness, these bot farms are engaging in psychological warfare, fostering division, radicalization, and negative polarization that are cancerous to the body politic in a democratic society. Authoritarianism binds the nation through fear, but democracy binds the nation through faith: in your neighbors’ better angels and your own capacity to tap them. Authoritarians have realized they can erode the faith and functionality of democracy through a mirage of division that stokes real division. This dynamic is often whispered about in the corridors of power throughout the transatlantic alliance. But leaders have been wary to emphasize it for fear of sounding conspiratorial. Fortunately, that is changing. I was glad to see @andyburnham say it clearly to @campbellclaret recently re: Brexit. We shouldn’t shy away from it in the US for fear of Trump mocking it as a “Russian hoax” while he benefits from the bot farms and rewards Putin with more money to fight Ukraine. We must speak clearly on this threat and get a handle on it. Any Big Tech regulation by the US, UK, and EU must grapple with foreign interference through social media.