Russia and China have targeted Americans with malign and subversive information campaigns during the #COVID19 pandemic.
New RAND research examines these campaigns — and what they might suggest about future activities by Moscow and Beijing. [thread] bit.ly/2SaaMbH
New RAND research examines these campaigns — and what they might suggest about future activities by Moscow and Beijing. [thread] bit.ly/2SaaMbH
The global spread of #COVID19 created fertile ground for attempts to influence and destabilize different populations.
Our report describes information efforts in which Russia- and China-associated outlets appear to have targeted U.S. audiences from January to July 2020.
Our report describes information efforts in which Russia- and China-associated outlets appear to have targeted U.S. audiences from January to July 2020.
Both Russia & China:
🔸used a variety of channels—including social media—to spread malign & subversive information
🔸sought to tarnish America's reputation by making claims about its pandemic response
🔸falsely accused the U.S. of developing & intentionally spreading the virus
🔸used a variety of channels—including social media—to spread malign & subversive information
🔸sought to tarnish America's reputation by making claims about its pandemic response
🔸falsely accused the U.S. of developing & intentionally spreading the virus
But the two countries also used disinformation & propaganda differently...
🇷🇺 Russia aimed to sow distrust and divide Americans, ultimately seeking to pollute the information space and discredit, weaken, and destabilize the U.S.
🇷🇺 Russia aimed to sow distrust and divide Americans, ultimately seeking to pollute the information space and discredit, weaken, and destabilize the U.S.
🇨🇳 China, on the other hand, sought to elevate its image and protect and enhance its international reputation — while also discrediting the United States.
Russia deployed media with wide-ranging ideologies and a variety of audiences. By contrast, China-linked messaging was ideologically uniform, consistent across multiple information outlets, and appeared to target audiences that were less varied.
Information campaigns like these could have implications for U.S. public health outcomes.
With high rates of vaccine hesitancy in the U.S., public health communications should account for the potential effects of Russian/Chinese messaging on vaccination uptake.
With high rates of vaccine hesitancy in the U.S., public health communications should account for the potential effects of Russian/Chinese messaging on vaccination uptake.
This report is part of RAND's Countering Truth Decay initiative.
Disinformation (and its rampant spread online and offline) is one of the key drivers of #TruthDecay. bit.ly/3tapvjW
Disinformation (and its rampant spread online and offline) is one of the key drivers of #TruthDecay. bit.ly/3tapvjW
Knowing how Russia and China operate in this space can help inform our understanding of the Truth Decay phenomenon and efforts to mitigate it. /end bit.ly/3nFEZLC
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