The socialists of Mataró (Maresme) have denounced a smear campaign against the mayor, David Bote and the city in general, through false profiles on social networks, especially on Twitter. These are automated tweets (bots) that all follow the same pattern and identical messages "in what seems like an organized action" has assured the first secretary of the PSC in the capital of Maresme, Núria Padilla.
On the other hand, the socialist spokesman in the City Council and president of the local group from Mataró, Xesco Gomar, has affirmed that in the study carried out, the bots come from 17 different countries, in the case of Twitter. Most of the negative impacts on the figure of David Bote are located "in the PP and Vox environments" according to the messages analyzed.
The messages, according to Padilla, have a “fake news” structure and are easily broadcast by communication companies. They send critical messages from Angola or Venezuela through false profiles "that can be purchased for only 50 euros" and that promote the viralization of these messages critical of municipal management.
"We believe that these bots respond to an organized campaign" to discredit David Bote, points out the first socialist secretary. “Everyone follows the same pattern” supporting the same ideas and identical messages. From the PSC they announce that "while some dedicate money and efforts to discredit the city by paying false profiles, we will focus on governing for all".
As for social networks, Padilla has also emphasized two of the most active neighborhood platforms in the city, also criticizing Bote. One of the two "most hurtful" platforms has shown that its administrators are from Vox" while the second considers it a center for neighborhood debate "so it would support the thesis of a campaign organized from the extreme right".
