US intelligence describes how Kremlin tries to influence American election
Illustrative photo (photo: Getty Images)
The Kremlin is turning to unsuspecting American citizens and commercial PR firms in Russia to spread disinformation about the US presidential race, according to a statement from senior intelligence officials published by the Associated Press.
"The American public should know that content that they read online - especially on social media - could be foreign propaganda, even if it appears to be coming from fellow Americans or originating in the US," said an official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Russia continues to pose the greatest threat when it comes to election disinformation, though there are signs that Iran is expanding its efforts and China is proceeding cautiously about the 2024 elections.
Kremlin-linked groups are increasingly hiring marketing and communications firms based in Russia to outsource parts of their digital propaganda operations and cover their tracks, officials said during a press briefing.
Two such firms were hit with new US sanctions announced in March. US authorities claim that these Russian companies created fake websites and social media profiles to spread Kremlin disinformation.
The ultimate goal of the Russians is to have Americans propagate Russian disinformation without questioning its origins. According to officials, people are far more likely to trust and repost information they believe comes from an internal source. Fake websites mimicking American news outlets and AI-generated social media profiles are just two of the methods used.
In some cases, Americans, along with American tech companies and media outlets, willingly amplify and repeat Kremlin messages.
Increased threat compared to past election
Senator Mark Warner, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed concern last month that the US might be more vulnerable to foreign disinformation this year than it was before the 2020 elections. On Monday, he stated that intelligence warnings indicate that US election is a focal point for bad actors around the world.
One indicator of the threat is that officials tracking foreign disinformation have issued twice as many warnings to political candidates, government leaders, election commissions, and other targets of foreign groups during the 2024 election cycle compared to the 2022 cycle.
Officials did not disclose the number of warnings issued or the recipients but noted that the significant increase reflects heightened interest from America’s adversaries in the presidential race, as well as intensified government efforts to detect and warn about such threats.
In June, US intelligence representatives revealed that more adversaries, led by Russia, are seeking to influence the 2024 presidential election through hired commercial firms and the use of generative artificial intelligence.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence reported that Iran is using covert social media activity and related influence operations to undermine the candidacy of former US President Donald Trump.
