The internet shutdown in Iran exposed a foreign political network in the UK

The Telegraph claims that accounts calling themselves “‘Scottish guy’ Jake” or “‘gay Scottish girl’ Fiona” suddenly stopped posting on January 8, after the ban came into effect. The accounts in question have shared dozens of conspiracy theories and negative news stories about Britain and Scotland in recent weeks.

The account in question, calling itself “Fiona”, claimed to be “passionate about Scotland’s independence and our right to self-determination”. Among the latest false claims to be considered are allegations that protesters have taken over Balmoral Castle and that “vast areas” in the Scottish Highlands are “being turned into a weapons laboratory”.

According to the Telegraph, another bizarre post from another account claimed that the British government had staged a “coup” and sent military trucks “to roll down the Royal Mile”, the main street in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The accounts suspected of being linked to Iran were first identified by the British magazine ‘UK Defense Journal’.

As of last summer, as the Telegraph mentions, about 1,300 suspicious accounts together shared about 3,000 posts, which according to estimates accumulated about 224 million views and 126 thousand interactions of comments, likes and shares.

Kerr also noted: “Alongside the government’s action, the social network companies must also increase their involvement. The fake accounts must be located and removed – on a large scale and without delay.”