Russian bots on the Internet are actively spreading fake videos aimed at discrediting the candidate for the US presidency, Kamala Harris, and her election campaign.
Points of attention
- Russian bots are actively spreading fake videos to discredit Kamala Harris before the American election.
- The position of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center indicates a change in the tactics of Russia's actions in the informational influence on the political situation in the United States.
- The 2024 US presidential election could be important for Ukraine, as Kamala Harris promises to support the country, while Donald Trump's stance on Ukraine is mixed.
- Fake videos spread by Russian bots may pose a threat to information security and the veracity of the election process in the United States.
- An increase in the number of fake videos before elections can lead to a deterioration of public trust and undermine the democratic principles of voting.
The Russian Federation is trying to discredit Harris before the US elections
As noted in a report by the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC), over the past few months, Russia has changed its tactics to influence the political situation in the United States, focusing on the Harris-Walz campaign by distributing disinformation videos.
Two groups of trolls are mentioned, Storm-1516 and the new Storm-1679, who created and distributed two videos about Harris that have received millions of views.
The first video is about an alleged attack by Harris supporters on a rally participant in support of Donald Trump. In the second video, the actress, who looks like Harris, is shown running from the scene of the accident.
These videos are distributed on behalf of a fictitious local media outlet in San Francisco created a few days before they were published.
A new troll group, Storm-1679, has shifted its focus from content about the Paris Olympics to spreading fake videos discrediting Harris. One such video, which contained false claims, garnered more than 100,000 views on Telegram within hours.
Microsoft warns that the upcoming US election could lead to an increase in the number of fake videos distributed by Russia for political purposes.
US presidential election
Americans will vote for the next head of state on November 5, 2024. They will choose between former president and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump and US Vice President, Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris.
Most experts agree that the victory of a democrat is beneficial to Ukraine. She publicly supports our country and promises to help in the future.
Trump, on the other hand, made ambiguous statements regarding support for Ukraine. A number of experts and politicians believe that he may stop helping Kyiv.
Trump has repeatedly said that he will end the war in Ukraine in a day. However, he never once said exactly how he would do it.
