Russian disinformation campaign sets sights on US midterms
Clips created using stolen footage from the internet shows deepfakes of prominent US stars denouncing the Democrats. Disinformation researchers said the deepfake videos appear to be the work of a Kremlin campaign known for littering social media with doctored videos.
A Russian disinformation operation targeting the U.S. midterm elections has unleashed a series of deepfake videos depicting celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said. The fake videos, which appeared on social media with hashtags like #AllDemocratsAreCriminals, have been spotted by several celebrities, including Alyson Hannigan, Emma Caulfield, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ed Begley Jr., and Eric Roberts.
The videos, created using stolen footage and audio, portray the celebrities making outrageous statements against Democrats. CNN has reportedly objected to the unauthorized use of its branding in the videos. Disinformation researchers believe these deepfakes are the work of Matryoshka, a Kremlin campaign known for spreading fake news videos through social media and bot activity.
Experts say this is likely the first salvo in Russia's targeting of the November vote, aiming to influence key races and issues that could shift the balance of power in the U.S. Congress.
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