The Justice Department has successfully disrupted a sophisticated Russian propaganda campaign supported by the Kremlin, which utilized artificial intelligence to disseminate online disinformation in the United States. This operation, involving the use of fake social media accounts to further the objectives of the Russian government, was described by US officials as part of a broader effort to foment discord within the country.
The elaborate scheme, orchestrated in 2022, employed technology developed by a senior editor at RT, a media outlet funded by the Russian state, to establish a “social media bot farm.” This undertaking received backing and financial authorization from the Kremlin, with an official from Russia’s Federal Security Service leading a private intelligence organization in the propagation of disinformation on social media through a network of fabricated accounts.
The intervention undertaken by the Justice Department represents a significant milestone in the combat against Russian-backed AI-enhanced social media bot farms. Christopher Wray, Director of the FBI, emphasized Russia’s intent to utilize this bot farm to propagate AI-generated foreign disinformation, specifically with the aim of undermining Ukraine and shaping geopolitical narratives favourable to the Russian government.
One example of the fabricated content produced by the disinformation campaign was a video purportedly depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin asserting that areas of Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania were “gifts” from liberating Russian forces during World War II. Furthermore, an individual posing as a US constituent responded to social media posts by a federal candidate regarding the conflict in Ukraine with a video of Putin justifying Russia’s actions.
As part of the intervention, the Justice Department seized two domain names and conducted a search of 968 accounts on “X,” a social media platform formerly known as Twitter. According to a joint cybersecurity advisory released by US, Dutch, and Canadian authorities, the software employed to disseminate disinformation also targeted countries such as Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine, and Israel. The advisory disclosed that the software, known as Meliorator, was capable of spreading disinformation on “X” and potentially other social media platforms.
This action taken by US authorities signifies a proactive measure in thwarting foreign influence campaigns and the potential misuse of AI technology to interfere with democratic processes. It also serves as a reminder of the persistent threat posed by disinformation and the necessity for sustained vigilance in safeguarding against such subversive activities in the digital realm.