Russian Disinformation Campaign

"Russia intended to use this bot farm to disseminate AI-generated foreign disinformation, scaling their work with the assistance of AI to undermine our partners in Ukraine and influence geopolitical narratives favourable to the Russian government."

FBI Director Christopher Wray

 

"Hybrid-war information operations run out of Moscow and Beijing are increasingly cross-pollinating with Khomeinist efforts to incite hostility to Israel, meanwhile, most noticeably in the agitations and activism purporting to support Palestinians in the current Gaza war."

"In Canada, antisemitic violence, 'anti-Zionist' histrionics and anti-Israel incitements based on Khomeinist propaganda have become commonplace in the left-wing activist milieu."

"Russian disinformation tends to get noticeably more traction among self-identified 'conservatives' than among Liberals or New Democrats."

"Conservative voters, who consistently poll as the most skeptical of conventional media, also showed themselves to be most  susceptible to Kremlin 'narratives'."

Terry Glavin, investigative journalist

 

"Disinformation is a big challenge because we see that Russia is fuelling disinformation in many ways."

"We also see China is doing that."

"So we need to be very much aware of the risk."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg 

Canadian security officials are warning of a Russian propaganda campaign that is spreading online disinformation through social media site X. (Graeme Roy/The Canadian Press)

 

Security officials in Canada warn of a Russian propaganda campaign using social-media site X as a conveyance, spreading disinformation online. Individuals affiliated with RT (Russia Today) have used a social media bot farm, reveals the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, and the issue is one that the Russian government has been directing.

Throughout the process false social-media users have been created for the purpose of spreading disinformation across borders. The accounts frequently pose as Americans in origin, while promoting messages supporting Russian government objectives. The RT press office, when pressed for comment responded mockingly: "Farming is a beloved pastime for millions of Russians".

Both American and Canadian authorities are in the midst of grappling with the most effective ways they might counter foreign efforts to disrupt elections with the use of AI and disinformation techniques. An prime item in discussion this week with NATO leaders meeting in Washington; the issues of Ukraine and aid for the country, at the centre of discussions.

Russia's state broadcaster RT was banned by Canada's broadcasting regulator, from Canadian airwaves following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The RT broadcast content was found by the CRTC to be "not in the public interest", by exposing Ukrainian people to hatred or contempt on the basis of their race, national or ethnic origin.