Based on documents and interviews with some of these organizers, the Times found that many of them are using accounts that are only one or two months old, and that some have fewer than 20 followers. One organizer described the training they received, saying the campaign told them the average person has a network of 750 people on their phones. “They told us, ‘We want you to reach out to those friends you’re comfortable talking to and then also those friends you might not have talked to in a while, but might be interested in politics.'”…

One organizer in Los Angeles told the Times, “When I text my friends—depending on the friend—a lot of people think it’s spam or my account was hacked. Once people realize it’s actually me who’s making these and it’s not spam, they kind of just figure I’m being paid for it.”

At one point, another organizer texted his friends, “Sam Donaldson just nailed it: Mike Bloomberg is the president we need to unite our country!” using the exact wording suggested by the Bloomberg campaign. He promptly followed up with a text reading, “Please disregard, vote Bernie or Warren.”