Justice Department disrupts Russian "bot farm" spreading propaganda in US

The US Justice Department announced on July 11 the seizure of two internet domains and the investigation of nearly 1,000 social media accounts allegedly used by Russian operatives.

These accounts purportedly posed as US residents to spread misinformation both domestically and internationally, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

According to the Justice Department, the operation, known as a "bot farm," utilized artificial intelligence to generate fake social media profiles that appeared to belong to Americans. These profiles were used to promote support for Russia's actions in Ukraine.

The Justice Department alleged that the scheme was coordinated by an employee of RT, a Russian state-owned media outlet funded by the Kremlin, with assistance from an officer of Russia's FSB intelligence agency.

This development occurs amid heightened concerns among US intelligence officials regarding potential foreign interference in the upcoming 2024 election. The US is closely monitoring whether Russia's stance on Ukraine could lead to increased risks of interference in the presidential election, as previously warned by FBI officials.

In Europe, there is also vigilance against Russian influence operations aimed at undermining support for Ukraine. Recently, Russian propagandists have intensified efforts to discredit the Paris Olympics, including through a fabricated documentary featuring an AI-generated impersonation of actor Tom Cruise, as reported by Microsoft.

One account falsely based in Minneapolis shared a video of Russian President Vladimir Putin suggesting that parts of Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania were gifted by Russian forces freeing them from Nazi control during World War II. Another account replied to an unnamed US politician with a video of Putin attempting to justify Russia's military actions in Ukraine.

The Justice Department “will not tolerate Russian government actors and their agents deploying AI to sow disinformation and fuel division among Americans,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement.