Unsealed FBI Doc Exposes Terrifying Depth of Russian Disinfo Scheme
newrepublic.com
New court documents reveal that Russia is keeping a very, very long list of influencers to spread its propaganda.

New court documents reveal that Russia is keeping a very, very long list of influencers to spread its propaganda.

The Russian disinformation plot revealed in a Justice Department indictment this week may just be the tip of the iceberg, according to newly unsealed court documents.

On Wednesday, the DOJ announced it would seize 32 internet domains linked to a larger Kremlin scheme to promote disinformation and influence the 2024 election. The Russian campaign, known as Doppelganger, uses AI-generated content to create “fake news” boosted through social media with the aim of electing Donald Trump.

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Of particular note, the documents released Wednesday included an affidavit that noted a Russian company is keeping a list of more than 2,800 influencers world wide, about one-fifth of whom are based in the United States, to monitor and potentially groom to spread Russian propaganda. The affidavit does not mention the full list of influencers, but is still a terrifying indicator of how deep the Russian plot to interfere in U.S. politics really goes.

  • Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world
    663·
    12 days ago

    Why now, FBI?

    I don’t know how we are supposed to just think “oh what a co-inky-dink”. Maybe I’m missing some timeline stuff here but I keep seeing DOJ action based on unsealed FBI stuff. Great, but when was it sealed? They probably have sealed documents that say the sky is blue too.

    Edit: ok then. It’s just asking why we see action now when we’ve all know it for a long time. Carry on.

    • dragontamer@lemmy.worldEnglish
      471·
      12 days ago

      Probably because the Russians kicked up their campaign this year as the battle of Donesk went poorly for them.

      Russia realizes that the #1 factor in their war for the Ukrainian East depends on getting Trump elected and the Republicans cutting aid.

      The only reason Russia got Adviika was because Republicans cut aid between Nov 2023 and all of winter 2024. Shell hunger they called it, as the Ukrainians ran out of ammo and were forced to retreat from their fortress city.

      Russia wants that to happen again. So they’re kicking up their influence campaigns.

    • Zink@programming.dev
      6·
      12 days ago

      I’d just like to point out that Trump won’t be sentenced for his crimes committed to cheat in the 2016 election until after the 2024 election.

      The justice system can move slowly, especially on career-defining cases.

    • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
      3·
      12 days ago

      Why now? Because it is happening now.

      You expect them to wait until after the election or something?

    • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
      2·
      12 days ago

      Once an investigation culminates and it’s time to roll up the targets, this is what happens. They have whole procedures for this, written down in books… You know the law.