WASHINGTON – U.S. officials who track disinformation campaigns say they have issued more warnings to political candidates, government leaders and other targets of foreign groups in recent months as America’s adversaries seek to influence the result of the 2024 elections.
Without elaborating, an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Wednesday that the number is higher, at least in part, because “presidential elections attract more attention from our adversaries.”
The increase in notifications for targeted individuals, which began last fall, could also reflect a growing threat or improved government detection capabilities, or both, said the official, who was one of several to brief reporters on condition of anonymity. under the basic rules established by the director’s office.
Lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns about the country’s preparedness for foreign disinformation during the presidential election and the corrosive impact it has on voter trust and democratic institutions. They also questioned whether the federal government is up to the task of issuing timely and effective warnings to voters when nations like Russia and China use disinformation to try to shape American politics.
Influence operations can include false or exaggerated claims and propaganda designed to mislead voters about specific candidates, issues, or races. It may also include social media posts or other digital content that seek to suppress the vote through intimidation or by providing voters with false information about election procedures.
Officials say the list of nations launching such campaigns includes known enemies as Russia, China It is Will as well as a growing number of second-tier players like Cuba. They also noted indications that some U.S.-allied nations could develop their own efforts to influence voters.
Russia was the main threat, one of the officials said, noting that its main goals were to degrade public support for Ukraine It is eroding trust in American democracy in general.
China is considered more cautious about its online disinformation campaigns and more concerned than Russia about a possible U.S. backlash, officials said. Iran is seen as an “agent of chaos” that is more likely to experiment with online techniques to stir up voter anger and even violence.
Authorities did not specify how many private notices they issued to candidates, political organizations or local election offices. Such warnings are issued after an interagency panel of intelligence officials concludes that an influence operation could impact the outcome of an election or prevent certain groups from voting.
Notifications are only given when authorities can attribute the operation to foreign sources, allowing the targeted person or group to “assume a more defensive posture,” one official said.
The office within the intelligence community that leads the work, the Center of Foreign Malign Influence, has no jurisdiction over national groups. Officials briefing reporters Wednesday said they work to avoid any appearance of policing Americans’ speech or favoring candidates.
Intelligence officials have only issued one public warning so far — in 2020, when groups linked to Iran sent emails to Democratic voters in an apparent effort to intimidate them into voting for Donald Trump.
Powerful artificial intelligence Programs that allow for the rapid creation of images, audio and video pose a growing problem as adversaries seek to use the technology to create realistic fakes that can easily mislead voters.
The use of AI has already emerged before the elections in India, MexicoMoldavia, Slovakia and Bangladeshand in the US, where some voters in New Hampshire received an AI robocall that imitated President Joe Biden’s voice.
AI deepfakes used by US adversaries remain a major threat, officials said.
