Christopher Blair, a well-known “liberal troll” who creates fake news on Facebook, has seen a significant resurgence in his popularity this year. Despite facing crackdowns from Facebook and increased competition from artificial intelligence, Blair, who runs a satirical Facebook group from his home in Maine, has managed to thrive.
In the past, Blair was making up to $15,000 per month by spreading false stories about Democrats and the election on Facebook, reaching millions of people. However, following the attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters on January 6, 2021, Facebook made changes to its algorithm to limit the spread of political content, including fake news. This caused Blair’s engagement to plummet for about six months.
Despite this setback, Blair has adapted and is now experiencing even greater success. His fake posts, which he claims are satire meant to poke fun at conservatives, have garnered 7.2 million interactions so far this year, compared to just one million in all of 2021.
To stay relevant and avoid Facebook’s algorithm crackdowns, Blair has shifted his focus from political figures to culture war topics such as Hollywood elites and social justice issues. For example, when actor Robert De Niro criticized former President Donald J. Trump outside a Manhattan courthouse, Blair quickly posted a false story claiming that a conservative actor had called De Niro “horrible” and “ungodly.” This post received nearly 20,000 shares.
Despite the challenges he faced, Christopher Blair has managed to adapt and thrive in the ever-changing landscape of social media. His ability to pivot his content strategy and engage with trending topics has allowed him to maintain his presence on Facebook and continue to reach a wide audience with his satirical posts. As social media platforms continue to evolve, Blair’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of adaptability and creativity in the digital age.