Russia spreads election misinformation through fake US websites

Russia is actively trying to influence the public opinion of unsuspecting Americans by spreading misinformation about the elections. Representatives of the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence provided this information.

The last few tumultuous weeks in American politics have forced Russia, Iran, and China to reconsider the details of their propaganda plans.

Intelligence officers emphasized that the desire of these countries to fill the Internet with false statements about American democracy to undermine trust in the elections is growing, according to "Ukrainian Truth," which cites U.S. intelligence.

As the intelligence representative points out, the American public should be aware that the content they read on the Internet, especially on social media platforms, maybe foreign propaganda, even if it appears to come from fellow citizens or originates from the United States.

The greatest threat to electoral misinformation in the U.S. comes from Russia, but intelligence suggests there are signs that Iran is increasing its efforts in this area. China is approaching the topic a bit more cautiously.

Groups linked to the Kremlin are increasingly hiring marketing and communication firms in Russia to spread propaganda.

In particular, two Russian firms have become targets of new U.S. sanctions announced in March. They created fake websites and social media profiles to spread Kremlin disinformation.

Misinformation may focus on candidates or voting, as well as on issues already the subject of debate in the U.S., such as immigration, crime, or the war in the Gaza Strip.

According to officials, people are much more likely to trust and share information they believe comes from a domestic source.

Fake websites modeled after American media and social media profiles created with the help of artificial intelligence are just some of the methods used by the Russians.