Federal authorities have shut down a Kremlin-backed Russian disinformation campaign operated by state-controlled media outlets the Department of Justice (DOJ). announced Tuesday.
The DOJ said a “bot farm” network of nearly 1,000 accounts on social media platform X used artificial intelligence (AI) to spread disinformation favorable to the Russian government.
“Today’s actions represent a first in the disruption of a Russian-sponsored, generative AI-enhanced social media bot farm,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement. “Russia intended to use this bot farm to spread AI-generated foreign disinformation, expanding its work with AI assistance to undermine our partners in Ukraine and influence geopolitical narratives favorable to the Russian government.”
The network was orchestrated by a Russian individual who previously worked as editor-in-chief of RT, the Russian state-controlled media outlet that has a notable presence in the U.S., the Justice Department said.
“Since at least 2022, RT leadership has pursued the development of alternative means for distributing information beyond RT’s standard television news broadcasts,” the DOJ said in a statement. “In response, Individual A led the development of software capable of creating and operating a social media bot farm.”
The FSB, the Russian intelligence service, also had access to the network, the DOJ said. Fake accounts on the network would pose as Americans and publish statements favorable to Russian political goals.
Although the network was only operating on joint cybersecurity consultancy issued by US, Dutch and Canadian intelligence agencies, said the Russians intended to expand operations to other social media platforms.
The cybersecurity advisory recommends social media platforms to better police botnets and remain vigilant for the presence of foreign intelligence operations, and provides network-specific technical details.
“We support all civic engagement, civil dialogue and a robust exchange of ideas,” federal prosecutor Gary Restaino said in a statement. “But these ideas should be generated by Americans, for Americans. The outage announced today protects us from those who use illegal means to try to deceive our citizens and our communities.”
The Hill has reached out to X for comment.
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