Hundreds of thousands of inauthentic social media accounts. Tens of thousands of fake articles. Millions of automated posts.
These are some of the figures cited by the German Foreign Ministry in connection with a Russian disinformation campaign that was first detected in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Known as Doppelgänger, the operation aimed to amplify pro-Russian narratives on social media platforms in countries like Germany.
On some days, thousands of the accounts were active, posting more than once per second in a coordinated manner, the ministry said in a 2024 report.
This campaign underscores just how important it is for users to verify the authenticity of social media accounts and identify when content is being published or amplified by bots and trolls.
But first, what’s the difference between a bot and a troll? And how can you spot them?
DW Fact check offers tips to help you navigate today’s information landscape.
What are fake accounts?
Fake accounts are social media profiles that conceal their true identity. Some may pretend to be ordinary users; others can impersonate politicians, institutions or journalists.
Not all fake accounts have malicious intent. Some people may use pseudonyms to protect their identity or for security reasons. Activists or whistleblowers may use fake accounts to investigate sensitive issues.
What are bots?
Bots, short for robots, tirelessly comment on posts, share content, or artificially stoke online debate on marginal or otherwise overlooked topics. Sometimes, they’re entirely innocent, but sometimes they’re intent is harmful.
Good bots may automatically share news or weather forecasts, as well as earthquake alerts and satellite images on social media.
Bad bots, in contrast, are designed to imitate genuine human activity to advance a certain agenda. Depending on the algorithm, such computer programs may compose and publish social media posts or comments, follow others, or even send out friendship requests.
Bad bots can distort reality by amplifying certain political opinions on social media platforms and drawing artificial attention to certain issues.
What are trolls?
Trolls, on the other hand, are real human beings who exhibit destructive and hyperactive online behavior.
Some are even paid to harass certain public figures or media organizations as part of so-called troll factories or farms.
One of the most prominent examples of a troll factory is the Internet Research Agency in St. Petersburg, Russia.
EUvsDisinfo, a project by the European External Action Service to counter disinformation, found that the agency had disseminated falsehoods and pro-Kremlin messages in multiple languages during various European and US election campaigns and in the lead-up to several referenda.
How can you spot them?
Many of the fake accounts, bots and trolls may disappear before you even notice them.
At least in Europe, social media platforms are required under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to release transparency reports, including how much content they delete.
In the last three months of 2025, for instance, Metareported taking action on 1.1 billion accounts.
But sometimes accounts appear faster than platforms can take action. So here are some concrete tips than can help you identify them.
Identity: Check the account name, profile picture and handle
Genuine accounts tend to have a consistent digital identity. Their name, profile picture, bio and content generally tend to support the same story about who’s behind the account.
Be cautious if this does not appear to be the case. Potential red flags include:
- A generic, stock-style or AI-generated profile picture
- A username containing a long string of seemingly random characters and numbers
- An account that was created recently and suddenly became very active
- A generic bio, such as “Truth Seeker” or “Patriot”, with little or no personal information
Beyond this, verify the information through official channels.
Public figures typically have a traceable online presence. Look for links to official websites and organizations they work for. Check whether the account’s name, profile picture, personal information and handle are consistent with information published elsewhere.
Use the reverse image search method (for example on Google Lensor TinEye) to find out whether the picture used in the profile depicts someone else than claimed, or if the image has surfaced elsewhere online.
And don’t rely on verification badges. While a blue check mark was once primarily used to confirm the identity of public figures and organizations, some platforms now allow users to buy them.
Behavior: Review what the account posts
Fake accounts, bots and troll accounts often behave differently from ordinary users.
Genuine users typically interact with others, discuss several topics and display natural patterns of activity that are often connected to their interests, profession or geographical location.
A German student posting images purporting to show an Afghan war zone? A Russian pensioner sharing photos from what she claims are Parisian anti-vaccination protests?
Neither is impossible, but both may warrant closer scrutiny. The accounts could be fake or they may be sharing disinformation. Suspicious behavior like this is typical of bots, too.
Bots also tend to post at a speed and frequency that would be nearly impossible for most people to sustain.
Trolls accounts, meanwhile, are harder to detect than downright fake accounts, as they are usually controlled by real human beings.
For trolls, it’s best to focus on the content they’re sharing. A troll’s defining feature is often their behavior rather than their identity.
Trolls are usually less interested in meaningful discussion than in provoking reactions. Their goal is frequently to increase engagement by generating outrage, sowing divisions or derailing conversations.
Network: Examine the account’s network and interactions
Fake accounts, bots and trolls rarely operate in isolation. You can find valuable clues about an account’s authenticity by examining who follows it and how other users interacts with it.
Genuine users tend to have a diverse mix of followers and interactions. By contrast, fake accounts are often part of networks that repeatedly amplify a particular narrative.
Here are some potential red flags:
- Large numbers of followers with generic profile information
- Comments or replies that are repetitive, identical or unrelated to the content of the post
- Thousands of followers but little meaningful engagement
- Followers that were created recently, have little posting history, or primarily repost content from other accounts
- Conversations that appear one-sided, with little disagreement or diversity of opinions
- Multiple accounts posting the same comments, links or hashtags within a short period
If you are unsure whether an account is fake, or whether content is being spread by a bot or a troll, slow down and take a closer look.
A few minutes spent examining an account’s identity, behavior and network can go a long way towards helping you distinguish genuine users from fake accounts, bots and trolls.
This article was first published in 2022 and has been revised to incorporate new developments and trends. Edited by Josh Axelrod.
This article is part of a DW Fact check series on digital literacy. Other articles include:
- How do I spot manipulated images?
- How do I spot AI-generated images?
- How do I spot audio deepfakes?
- How do I spot propaganda?
And here you can read more about how DW fact-checks fake news.
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