All articles tagged with #russian disinformation
A declassified report reveals that a key email used to suggest Hillary Clinton's campaign conspired to link Trump to Russia was likely fabricated by Russian spies, undermining claims of a Clinton plot and highlighting Russian disinformation efforts during the 2016 election.
The FBI has identified fake videos using its name and insignia to spread misinformation about the 2024 presidential election, likely created by a Russian disinformation group. These videos falsely claim voter fraud and security threats, aiming to undermine election integrity. The FBI emphasizes that these videos are not authentic and is working with law enforcement to protect the electoral process.
The U.S. Justice Department has disrupted a Russian propaganda campaign using AI to influence American public opinion and inflame election-year divisions. Nina Jankowicz of the American Sunlight Project discusses the evolving sophistication of foreign disinformation efforts and the need for greater transparency and regulation of social media platforms to combat these threats.
A fake documentary narrated by an AI-generated Tom Cruise, titled "Olympics Has Fallen," is part of a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the 2024 Paris Olympics. The film, created by groups linked to the Russian government, mixes fact and fiction to sow confusion and fear, and is being spread through social media and messaging apps. Microsoft researchers have identified the campaign and highlighted its use of AI and bots to amplify the disinformation.
Survivors of an Illinois stabbing spree describe their fight for survival, with a mother crediting her son and dog for saving her life; former presidents and protesters attend Joe Biden’s fundraiser; Russian actors spread Princess Kate conspiracies; U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich has been detained in Russia for a year; Michigan lawmaker falsely labels March Madness athletes as 'illegal invaders'.
The Justice Department's recent allegations against a former FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, for spreading misinformation designed to harm President Joe Biden after meeting with Russian intelligence officials has reignited debate over Russian involvement in unproven allegations of corrupt Ukraine dealings by Joe and Hunter Biden. Former U.S. intelligence officials who previously warned about Russian efforts to smear the Bidens feel vindicated by the recent allegations against Smirnov, despite no public evidence of Russian government involvement in the release of Hunter Biden's laptop materials. The emergence of the laptop and its contents, along with Smirnov's alleged lies, have become part of the ongoing political and legal battles surrounding the Bidens.
MSNBC claims that ex-intel officials were vindicated in their assertion that the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation, following the DOJ's indictment of FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who allegedly had ties to Russian intelligence officials. The network revisited the open letter signed by 51 ex-intel officials in 2020, insisting that the published emails had "all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation." NBC News, which previously dismissed the laptop story, has since verified its contents, including Hunter Biden's lavish spending.
French agency Viginum uncovered a Russian disinformation network called "Portal Kombat" comprising at least 193 sites spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda to influence public opinion in Western countries, particularly regarding the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. The sites targeted Western countries supporting Ukraine and used automation to share content on social media, posing a significant threat to public debate. This discovery comes amid growing concerns about foreign interference and disinformation ahead of national elections in various countries.
A former top intelligence officer with oversight of threats ahead of the 2020 election said the Central Intelligence Agency had "no evidence" at the time that Hunter Biden's laptop had anything to do with a Russian disinformation campaign, despite claims from then-candidate Joe Biden's allies. The officer said claims that the Hunter Biden laptop story was Russian disinformation were not based on actual intelligence available at the time. The CIA rejected the idea that politics plays a role in Prepublication Classification Review Board decisions.
House Republicans are investigating how a CIA staffer interacted with former intelligence officials as they organized a public statement questioning whether a laptop with Hunter Biden emails was part of a Russian disinformation operation. The Republicans argue that the letter helped discredit the laptop story just before the 2020 election in support of Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. The CIA has failed to respond to the committee's request for documents on the matter. The report also discusses how the letter was intended to help support Biden's presidency.
Politico has not responded to requests to change its headline from October 2020, which falsely implied that The New York Post's reporting on Hunter Biden's laptop was Russian disinformation. The headline was based on a letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials, including Antony Blinken, now Secretary of State, who reached out to former acting CIA Director Michael Morell to organize the letter. Morell testified that the letter was used to help Joe Biden by deflecting accusations about his involvement in overseas influence-peddling schemes. The authenticity of the laptop has since been confirmed by multiple news outlets.
Republican lawmakers are seeking information from Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding a public letter signed by dozens of former intelligence officials weeks before the 2020 presidential election, which cast doubt on the Hunter Biden laptop story and suggested it could be Russian disinformation. The lawmakers claim that Blinken's outreach to former CIA deputy director Michael Morell set in motion the events that led to the issuance of the public statement. Democrats on the committee pushed back on the claims, stating that no part of Morell's interview demonstrated that Blinken or any other Biden campaign official asked Morell to write a letter about Hunter Biden's laptop.