US intelligence reports Russia uses unwitting Americans to spread disinformation ahead of the US election. Intelligence representatives reported this at a briefing, according to the AP agency.
Several tumultuous weeks in the USA have led Russia, Iran, and China to revise some details of their propaganda plans. However, US intelligence officials state that these countries remain committed to flooding the web with false and inflammatory statements about American democracy to undermine confidence in the elections.
“The American public should know that content they read online—especially on social media—can 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.
US intelligence added that Russia continues to pose the biggest threat regarding election disinformation. At the same time, there are signs that Iran is expanding its efforts, while China is moving cautiously.
Russian groups are increasingly hiring marketing and communications companies based in Russia to outsource some of the digital propaganda work and cover their tracks, according to officials.
“The ultimate goal, however, is to get Americans to spread Russian disinformation without questioning its origin,” the article says.
The disinformation could focus on candidates, voting, or issues already debated in the US, such as immigration, crime, or the war in Gaza.
