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.

    • TheFonz@lemmy.world
      21·
      3 months ago

      You need evidence to substantiate that FARA was circumvented by funneling funds from foreign entities.

      If US citizens want to set up an entity and fund a lobbying group that supports Russia they are allowed to do so, but the money has to originate from US sources. Maybe take a few minutes to understand how the law works.

      • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
        32·
        3 months ago

        You need evidence to substantiate that FARA was circumvented by funneling funds from foreign entities.

        Why? Surely all PACs are fully transparent about the sources of their funds. Every dollar donated can be attributed to US citizens and, in turn, they can prove none of their income came from overseas.

        • TheFonz@lemmy.world
          21·
          3 months ago

          Yea. Except that’s not how any of this works. You have a really cartoon level understanding of how finance works and how these orgs are audited. The world is not a James Bond movie where some rando hacks a linux terminal and breaks into the IMF.

          • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
            21·
            3 months ago

            Arguing about levels of understanding is irrelevant.

            The point is that whatever works for AIPAC can be replicated for the Russian equivalent ARPAC.

            • TheFonz@lemmy.world
              21·
              3 months ago

              Yea. And the point is you have no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe take some time to read up on how FARA and finance regulation works?

                • Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.world
                  21·
                  2 months ago

                  But you’re assuming that the Israeli government has some connection to AIPAC, it doesn’t. Sure some Americans could start a homegrown fully American Pro-Russia PAC, just like AIPAC, and that would be completely legal, but that’s not what happened here.

                  • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
                    22·
                    2 months ago

                    If a homegrown fully American Pro-Russia PAC was started, how could we be sure there was no Russian government involvement? Donations are opaque.

    • Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.world
      21·
      3 months ago

      No…To get around FARA they could never fund it, or ever coordinate with its leadership, just how AIPAC is funded entirely by US citizens and is ran entirely by US citizens, and has zero connection to the Israeli government.

      Which makes sponsoring an organization like this incredibly risky, which is why almost no one does it.

      • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
        11·
        3 months ago

        Then so too can the American Russian Public Affairs Committee be funded entirely by US citizens, ran entirely by US citizens, and have zero visible connection to the Russian government.

        • Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.world
          2·
          2 months ago

          and have zero visible connection to the Russian government.

          No connections at all unless abiding by FARA yes, that would be legal. That’s not even close to what happened here.

            • Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.world
              2·
              2 months ago

              No? How did you even get that impression? I literally just said AIPAC has no connection to the Israeli government, therefore it shouldn’t be registered with FARA.

              Also lol, Change.org really?

              • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
                11·
                2 months ago

                Coordination with Israeli officials

                Rabbi Alexander Schindler, former chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations (a US advocacy group), told an Israeli magazine in 1976, “The Presidents’ Conference and its members have been instruments of official governmental Israeli policy. It was seen as our task to receive directions from government circles and to do our best no matter what to affect the Jewish community.”

                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_lobby_in_the_United_States

                • Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.world
                  1·
                  2 months ago

                  Wow one dude said something similar to them being Israeli controlled over 30 years ago, it totally must be true then. /s.

                  This isn’t evidence of anything

                  • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
                    11·
                    2 months ago

                    It is evidence.

                    Of course AIPAC is government controlled. It does nothing against their interests and everything for them.

                    Attempting to argue the contrary is disingenuous.