Posted on 10/24/2024 3:03:36 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Russia helped amplify and spread false and misleading internet claims about recent hurricanes in the United States and the federal government’s response, part of a wider effort by the Kremlin to manipulate America’s political discourse before the presidential election, new research shows.
The content, spread by Russian state media and networks of social media accounts and websites, criticizes the federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, exploiting concerns about the recovery effort in an attempt to paint American leaders as incompetent and corrupt, according to research from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. The London-based organization tracks disinformation and online extremism.
In some cases, the claims about the storms included fake images created using artificial intelligence, such as a photo depicting scenes of devastating flooding at Disney World that never happened, researchers said.
The approach is consistent with the Kremlin’s long-standing practice of identifying legitimate debates and contentious issues in the U.S. and then exploiting them. Previous disinformation campaigns have harnessed debates about immigration, racism, crime and the economy in an effort to portray the U.S. as corrupt, violent and unjust.
U.S. intelligence officials and private tech companies say Russian activity has increased sharply before the Nov. 5 election as Moscow tries to capitalize on an opportunity to undermine its chief global adversary.
By seizing on real concerns about disaster recovery, Russia’s disinformation agencies can worm their way into U.S. discourse, using hot-button issues to undermine Americans’ trust in their government and each other.
“These are not situations that foreign actors are creating,” said Melanie Smith, director of research at ISD. “They’re simply pouring gasoline on fires that already exist.”
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Pretty much everything that rag prints appears to be “without evidence”.
It is also accompanied without integrity, education, or morals.
ANYBODY who has a dim view of the federal government’s response to Hurricane Helene’s destruction in western North Carolina is a RUSSIAN AGENT. Don’t believe me? Ask the Los Angeles Times. /sarc
So all the interviews with people from Appalachia complaining about the tardy (and inefficient ) response were somehow part of a grand Kremlin strategy?
Good Lord the Democrats think we’re all stupid don’t they?
Those wascally Wussians again!
Doesn’t need to be amplified; Russians are tight with money and effort and only expend them where needed,
“…attempt to paint American leaders as incompetent and corrupt…”
What an insult! Our government does a fine job of doing this with no external help whatsoever. American self-sufficiency and reliance is not completely dead yet!
Russia is Emmanuel Goldstein
Getting tired of their cutesy use of “amplify.”
Disney World was under water?
I missed that one.
LOL is all I have to say.
Russia has more influence in the US than Biden/Harris? Sure makes Biden/Harris sound incompetent.
David Klepper - Isolate target - every article this ‘person’ writes, fact check. Retirement cannot come too soon for this loon.
Ever notice how every leftist in America suddenly went from loving USSR to hating Russia the minute they gave up on Communism and re-embraced their historic tradition as an Eastern Christian nation?
Is this KommieLA's word for the day?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.