A WIRED analysis shows that right-wing stars like Tim Pool and Benny Johnson focused on topics like Elon Musk and supposed racism toward white people in hundreds of videos allegedly paid for by Russia.
Right-wing influencers working for Tenet Media—a company the US Department of Justice alleges was financed and guided by a state-backed Russian news network—showed interest in a highly specific set of topics, including:
These topics were consistently covered by influencers like Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Lauren Southern. While they are not accused of wrongdoing by the government, they are tied to the alleged Russian influence scheme.
WIRED’s analysis of closed captioning transcripts from 405 long-form videos posted on Tenet’s YouTube channel reveals a focus on highly divisive culture war topics. These include:
The analysis also shows that the influencers were not particularly fixated on the Ukraine war, but rather on topics that carried titles like “Trans Widows Are a Thing and It’s Getting OUT OF HAND” and “Race Is Biological But Gender Isn’t???”
While the government does not accuse the influencers of wrongdoing, they are tied to the alleged Russian influence scheme. The influencers have denied awareness of the alleged Russian influence scheme, but prosecutors say they were intimately involved in Tenet’s editorial process.
The rise of social media has not only changed the way we consume information, but also created an environment for malicious actors to manipulate public opinion. The recent exposure of Russian-funded content on YouTube is a stark reminder of this reality.
A WIRED analysis reveals that right-wing influencers, including Tim Pool and Benny Johnson, were producing content that was allegedly paid for by Russia. The topics of these videos were highly specific and consistent with Russia’s aim of sowing discord in the US. Some of these areas included:
These findings raise serious questions about the role of social media in shaping public opinion and the need for greater transparency in online content creation.