Intel Officials: Presidential Election a Top Target for Foreign Disinformation

U.S. officials tracking disinformation campaigns have issued increased warnings to political candidates, government leaders, and other targets of foreign groups in recent months, as America’s adversaries aim to influence the 2024 election.

An official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence stated on Wednesday that the rise in warnings is at least partially due to the heightened attention from adversaries during presidential elections.

The surge in warnings, which began last fall, may indicate a growing threat, improved detection capabilities by the government, or a combination of both, according to officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concerns about the nation’s readiness for foreign disinformation during elections and its negative impact on voter confidence in democratic institutions. They have also questioned the ability of the federal government to alert voters about attempts by countries like Russia and China to manipulate American politics.

Influence operations involve disinformation and propaganda to deceive voters about candidates, issues, or races, as well as social media posts aiming to suppress votes through intimidation or misinformation about election procedures.

Countries engaging in such campaigns include Russia, China, Iran, and emerging players like Cuba. There are also indications that U.S. allies may attempt to influence American voters through similar means.

Russia poses the greatest threat, focusing on undermining public support for Ukraine and eroding confidence in American democracy. China is more cautious in its online disinformation campaigns, while Iran is seen as a provocateur using online tactics to incite voter anger and violence.

Officials did not disclose the exact number of private warnings issued to candidates, political organizations, or local election offices. Warnings are only issued when an influence operation can impact election outcomes or impede certain groups from voting, attributed to foreign sources.

The intelligence community’s Foreign Malign Influence Center, responsible for this work, does not have jurisdiction over domestic groups. Officials aim to avoid appearing as though they are censoring American speech or showing favoritism towards candidates.

So far, intelligence officials have publicly warned only once — in 2020, when Iran-linked groups sent intimidating emails to Democratic voters to influence their vote for Donald Trump.

The use of powerful artificial intelligence to create realistic fake images, audio, and video poses a significant challenge as adversaries seek to mislead voters. AI deepfakes have appeared in elections worldwide, including in the U.S., where voters received a robocall with a voice resembling President Joe Biden.

Officials identified AI deepfakes designed by U.S. adversaries as a major threat.