Facebook-owned Instagram became favoured tool of Russian trolls after 2016

A look at posts from the Internet Research Agency reveals that the group used Instagram for several distinct purposes

In the wake of the 2016 election, Instagram — known as the home of preening influencers, artfully arranged grain bowls and Icelandic vacation photos — somehow escaped much of the scrutiny of other social networks.
 
But two new reports suggest that may have been a mistake. The reports, conducted by independent groups and released by the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday, concluded that Instagram — which is owned by Facebook — became a favored tool of Russian internet trolls after the 2016 election.
 
According to the reports, which were based on a trove of data provided by social