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Why Are We Still Looking for the Russian Boogie Man?

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Though the presidential elections were over a little more than a year ago, every time there seems to be a lull in the news stories concerning the latest mass shooting or natural disaster, media sources go back to speculating how the election was rigged. While this is counterproductive on many levels, the issue doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. Why is there a fascination with the search for the Russian Boogie Man?

It was not long after the election results were announced and Mr. Donald Trump was proclaimed the next president of the United States before the first hint of controversy started making its way into news media. There were accusations that the Russians had somehow hacked into thousands of voting machines and rigged the election in favor of Trump. It appeared that many of the more liberal sources for news could not understand how Trump could have won the election without assistance from other sources.

As time went on, investigations were launched into how the Russians gained access to our system and whether close aids or family members of the president-elect were somehow involved in collusion with the foreign government. It appeared that as more time went on, even after President formally took office, the scandal continued to grow. Cabinet members and heads of agencies stepped down as the search for evidence continued unabated.

Over time, when it appeared that there was no solid evidence that could definitively point to a conspiracy involving the Russians and our president, the furor seemed to die down. However, a search for new evidence was launched when it was determined that Russian companies were somehow able to place ads on social media sites that were supposedly geared toward influencing American voters. The ads encompassed a wide range of social and hot button issues including ads for gun advocate groups and groups based on racial tensions.

This new investigation is ongoing as Facebook has turned over evidence that reveals that many of these controversial advertisements were paid for in Rubles, which is the currency of Russia and a few other former Soviet Union countries. Though it does appear that for reasons of their own, some groups from other countries did place ads on social media sites, it is unclear as to the reasons why these ads were placed. If anything, they appeared to be geared toward heightening the differences between different subcultures in the US with no clear goal of throwing the election results one way or another.

Thus far, there has been no hard evidence that any of these ads created enough influence to lead voters to vote for either candidate. Facebook officials have announced their intentions to place advertisements under greater scrutiny before allowing placement on its platform. They have also announced that there will be greater transparency in these ads that will allow users to determine who placed the ads and for what purpose. The question remains though, was there ever really a Russian Boogie Man pulling the strings behind our election?

Writer Bio:  Angela Mose

I am a mom of 7 who has successfully homeschooled for 20 years.  I was married for more than 25 years and have recently started my life over. I have a passion for writing and music and when the two can be combined, it is utopia.  A Maryland native, I am planning to relocate north in the near future and will continue to strive to learn and experience new things on a regular basis. I am fortunate enough to be able to work from home while exploring new ways to increase my knowledge and skills and help improve the lives of those around me.

 

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