US intelligence has warned of disinformation being spread by Russia ahead of the US elections.
This was stated by representatives of the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence during a briefing for the media.
Russia is spreading disinformation about the US elections
The warning came after several turbulent weeks in American politics that have forced Russia, Iran and China to reconsider the details of their propaganda intentions.
Now watching
What remains unchanged, intelligence officials say, is the determination of these countries to flood the internet with false claims about U.S. democracy to undermine confidence in the election.
“The American public needs to be aware that the content they read online, particularly on social media, could be foreign propaganda, even if it appears to be coming from their own country or from the United States,” said an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Russia continues to pose the greatest threat when it comes to election-time disinformation, though there are signs that Iran is expanding its efforts and China is treading cautiously.
What methods does Russia use to spread propaganda in the US
Officials briefing reporters noted that Kremlin-linked groups are increasingly hiring marketing and communications companies in Russia to outsource some of their digital propaganda work to cover their tracks.
Two such companies were included in new US sanctions announced in March.
US authorities say two Russian companies have created fake websites and social media profiles to spread Kremlin disinformation.
Russia's disinformation may focus on candidates or voting, or on issues that are already the subject of debate, it is noted in the United States, such as immigration, crime, and the war in Gaza.
But the ultimate goal is to get Americans to spread Russian disinformation without questioning its origins.
People are far more likely to trust and share information they believe comes from a domestic source, officials say.
Fake websites designed to mimic U.S. news outlets and AI-generated social media profiles — these are just two of the methods Russia is using.
One indicator of the threat is that officials monitoring foreign disinformation say they have issued twice as many warnings to political candidates, government leaders, election officials, and others targeted by foreign groups during the 2024 election cycle as they did in the 2022 election cycle.
