Russia is concentrating on American social media celebrities in order to covertly influence voters

According to U.S. officials and recently disclosed criminal charges, Russia is progressively employing American social media personalities to subtly influence voters in anticipation of the 2024 presidential ballot.

“We observe them utilizing American citizens, both knowingly and unknowingly, to disseminate, advance, and bolster the credibility of narratives that are advantageous to these foreign actors,” stated a senior intelligence official during a briefing on Friday.

“Typically, these foreign countries determine that Americans are more inclined to agree with the opinions of their peers.”

This cycle, American security agencies widely perceive the approach as one of Russia’s preferred tactics to enhance the authenticity of their foreign psychological operations. These missions generally aim to provoke Americans, emphasize partisan talking points, and emphasize societal divisions, all while questioning the efficacy and role of the U.S. government in global security, according to experts.

During a July briefing with reporters on election security, another senior U.S. intelligence official stated, “We are concentrating on these tactics because the American public should be aware that the content they read online, particularly on social media, could be foreign propaganda, even if it appears to be from fellow Americans.” “In summary, foreign influence actors are becoming increasingly adept at concealing their motives and employing Americans to achieve their objectives.”

Tencent

On Wednesday, the Justice Department disclosed criminal charges against two former employees of the Russian media outlet Russia Today, or RT, who they allege were secretly financing an American political media company.

In the indictment, an alleged scheme is described in which the Russians sent approximately $10 million to two media business owners, Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan, who subsequently compensated American conservative influencers to produce videos and social media postings. Some of the commentators had shared anti-Ukraine content at various periods, which was consistent with the initiative’s objectives. Requests for comment from Chen and Donovan were not responded to.

The indictment does not specify the media outlet that is being accused; however, Reuters has identified it as Tenet Media, a Tennessee-based organization that advertises itself as a sanctuary for “fearless voices.” In spite of numerous inquiries for comment, Tenet did not respond. The organization has historically employed numerous notable figures in the field of social media, such as former journalist Benny Johnson and podcaster Tim Pool.

The indictment indicates that Chen and Donovan were aware that they were receiving cash from the Russian operatives; however, the commentators they compensated appeared to be oblivious of the arrangement.

In addition to its other social media profiles, Tenet maintained a YouTube channel that featured audio recordings and videos from its contributors. Tenet’s founders, according to court documents, instructed an anonymous commentator to make false claims online to their audience, claiming that Ukraine, not ISIS, was responsible for a fatal terrorist attack in Moscow in April.

The indictment against Tenet was acknowledged by Pool and Johnson in statements released late Wednesday. Pool stated, “I was the sole individual who had complete editorial control of the show at all times,” and that “I, along with the other personalities and commentators, were deceived and are therefore victims.” In a similar vein, Johnson expressed his concern regarding the allegations in today’s indictment, which reveal that he and other influencers were the victims of this purported scheme, in a statement.

The plan is believed to be consistent with historical trends, according to experts.

“Paying journalists or front media outlets was a well-established method of laundering propaganda during the Cold War; this is essentially a digital version of that,” stated Renee DiResta, a digital disinformation analyst. “I find it intriguing that they employ influencers rather than journalists; it indicates that they are aware of the influential voices in the community.”

Double-edged sword

On Wednesday, the Justice Department disclosed a distinct Russian operation, Doppelganger, in a separate but related filing. Doppelganger impersonated genuine Western news agencies and disseminated inaccurate information regarding U.S. political candidates and the conflict in Ukraine. It is purported that the Russian government orchestrated this endeavor through a consortium of Russian marketing agencies, including Structura National Technology, ANO Dialog, and Social Design Agency.

The prosecutors cited internal presentations from the Russian marketing agencies in the evidence they submitted to the court, which discussed their approach and tools. The documents indicate that a critical component of the program was the identification of Western influencers who espouse sympathetic perspectives and the establishment of partnerships with them.

According to one presentation, they collaborate with “influencers who are advocates for traditional values and advocate for the conclusion of the conflict in Ukraine, as well as those who are willing to participate in the dissemination of the project narratives.” Included in this group are actors, politicians, experts in various fields, media representatives, activists from social organizations, and clergymen.

According to a subsequent presentation, Russian companies are currently conducting an active monitoring of a total of 2,800 influencers, 600 of whom are located in the United States. These influencers include comedians, bloggers, and radio presenters.

“Russian influence actors have made significant efforts to establish and leverage networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to generate and disseminate Russian-friendly narratives during this election cycle,” stated the senior intelligence official. “These individuals engage in a variety of media activities, including the publication of content on social media platforms, the creation of content for websites with both overt and covert connections to the Russian government, and the execution of other media initiatives

The FBI’s notification of American social media personalities that they are being co-opted in a foreign influence operation is unclear in terms of the timing and method. In the July briefing with reporters, a senior intelligence official stated that the answer is “complicated” and “obviously case-specific.” This necessitates consultation with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), which is responsible for overseeing the U.S. intelligence community.

According to a DNI official on Friday, the practice of conducting “defensive briefings” to provide Americans with warning that they are under foreign influence has gained momentum.