09/05/2024

Social Media Misinformation is on the Rise

How Russian operatives covertly hired U.S. influencers to create viral videos

Federal officials have accused Russia of using unwitting right-wing American influencers in its quest to spread Kremlin propaganda ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice charged two employees of RT, the Russian state media broadcaster, in a scheme to secretly fund and direct the production of social media videos that racked up millions of views.

The RT staffers, named in the indictment as Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, have been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. They are accused of funneling nearly $10 million to an unnamed Tennessee company that contracted with online influencers with big audiences. Details in the indictment match Nashville-based Tenet Media, including its website description: "a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues."

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