The FBI has warned of two fake videos circulating online aimed at casting doubt around the US presidential election.
These videos are v likely part of a wider Russian campaign @Shayan86 and I’ve been tracking for a long time 🧵 bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
These videos are v likely part of a wider Russian campaign @Shayan86 and I’ve been tracking for a long time 🧵 bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
The contents of the two clips described in the FBI release exactly match two recent videos that are part of a batch of more than 300 that BBC Verify has found since January, together with @Seana_Davis and @TheOndrakGuy from Logically.
Clips aren’t viral so not posting them here.
Clips aren’t viral so not posting them here.
The 300+ fake videos @Shayan86 and I have analysed with colleagues from Logically impersonate content from US government agencies, organisations like @bellingcat and also more than 50 news media – including the BBC, France 24 and Fox News.
The fake videos look v realistic - they use very similar graphics, fonts and logos of the impersonated media.
It can be hard to tell the difference even if you’re a specialist.
(Having said that, they do use very odd music most of the time, which often gets recycled)
It can be hard to tell the difference even if you’re a specialist.
(Having said that, they do use very odd music most of the time, which often gets recycled)
The operation has been around for years - the first BBC fake like this @Shayan86 and I spotted in spring 2022.
It was a video accusing Ukraine of being behind a deadly strike on a railway station.
That one was all over Russian state media at the time.
It was a video accusing Ukraine of being behind a deadly strike on a railway station.
That one was all over Russian state media at the time.
Ukraine has been a key target of the fake videos from the get go.
More recently, they have also promoted false narratives about the Paris Olympics and the US election, posting videos with false claims that seek to amplify divisions, etc.
Narratives are always pro-Kremlin.
More recently, they have also promoted false narratives about the Paris Olympics and the US election, posting videos with false claims that seek to amplify divisions, etc.
Narratives are always pro-Kremlin.
Researchers from CheckFirst, which independently investigated the network and dubbed it “Overload”, have traced it to a company registered in Russia and a Russian IP address. checkfirst.network/wp-content/upl…
The operation is prolific and appears to have been ramping up production in the past weeks.
BUT content has so far been failing to gain organic traction on social media.
Videos often get 10K-30K views, but are pushed by accounts exhibiting signs of inauthentic behaviour.
BUT content has so far been failing to gain organic traction on social media.
Videos often get 10K-30K views, but are pushed by accounts exhibiting signs of inauthentic behaviour.
So the campaign has been spamming researchers, journalists and newsrooms with their content trying to get us to fact-check them.
@Shayan86 and I have been emailed, tagged and DM-ed over and over again.
We even stopped counting the messages at some point.
@Shayan86 and I have been emailed, tagged and DM-ed over and over again.
We even stopped counting the messages at some point.
Why seek out journalists asking them to fact check fakes?
As @RidT told us: “If prominent media orgs, prominent intelligence agencies expose their work, then they can brag to their funders, to the Russian Government that they are seen as a serious threat that deserves exposure.”
As @RidT told us: “If prominent media orgs, prominent intelligence agencies expose their work, then they can brag to their funders, to the Russian Government that they are seen as a serious threat that deserves exposure.”
If exposure - even in a form of a debunk or pushback - is seen as a good thing, it’s unlikely we are going to see an end to these Russian impersonation fakes any time soon.
For more details about the operation, watch our report here @Shayan86 @SarahGlatte
For more details about the operation, watch our report here @Shayan86 @SarahGlatte
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
