WASHINGTON, July 30, (AP): The Kremlin is turning to unwitting Americans and commercial public relations firms in Russia to spread disinformation about the US presidential race, top intelligence officials said Monday, detailing the latest efforts by America's adversaries to shape public opinion ahead of the 2024 election.
The warning comes after a tumultuous few weeks in US politics that have forced Russia, Iran and China to revise some of the details of their propaganda playbook. What hasn't changed, intelligence officials said, is the determination of these nations to seed the internet with false and incendiary claims about American democracy to undermine faith in the election.
"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 United States,” said an official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under rules set by the office of the director.
Russia continues to pose the greatest threat when it comes to election disinformation, authorities said, while there are indications that Iran is expanding its efforts and China is proceeding cautiously when it comes to 2024.
Groups linked to the Kremlin are increasingly hiring marketing and communications firms located within Russia to outsource some of the work of creating digital propaganda while also covering their tracks, the officials said during the briefing with reporters.
Two such firms were the subject of new US sanctions announced in March. Authorities say the two Russian companies created fake websites and social media profiles to spread Kremlin disinformation.
The disinformation can focus on the candidates or voting, or on issues that are already the subject of debates in the US, such as immigration, crime or the war in Gaza.
The ultimate goal, however, is to get Americans to spread Russian disinformation without questioning its origin. People are far more likely to trust and repost information that they believe is coming from a domestic source, officials said. Fake websites designed to mimic US news outlets and AI-generated social media profiles are just two methods.