Americans could be targeted by Russian propaganda in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, a United States spy agency has warned.
The Foreign Malign Influence Center (FMIC), an agency that operates under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said in an election security update on Monday that Russia "remains the predominant threat to U.S. elections."
The U.S. presidential election is on November 5 and is likely to be a match between Republican former President Donald Trump and the presumptive Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The agency, set up by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines in September 2022, also listed China and Iran as foreign actors whose influence activities are seeking to influence U.S. politics and policies "to benefit their interests and undermine U.S. democracy and Washington's standing in the world."
Kremlin-linked groups are increasingly using actors to leverage its own influence-for-hire firms based in Russia to shape public opinion in the U.S., including with operations related to the U.S. election, the FMIC warned.
"These firms have created influence platforms, directly and discreetly engaged Americans, and used improved tools to tailor content for U.S. audiences, while hiding Russia's hand," the agency said.
"Russian influence actors have undertaken distinct efforts during this election cycle to build and use networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russian-friendly narratives."
"Moscow continues to use a broad stable of influence actors and tactics and is working to better hide its hand, enhance its reach, and create content that resonates more with U.S. audiences," the FMIC added.
Newsweek reached out to Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment via email.
An official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity on Monday, warned Americans to be cautious about information disseminated online.
The content may be propaganda or disinformation spread by foreign actors on fake websites designed to look like U.S. news outlets, with the aim of shaping public opinion ahead of the 2024 election, the official said.
This disinformation may then be unwittingly shared by the U.S. public, achieving the Kremlin's goal of disseminating its propaganda.
"The American public should know that content that they read online—especially on social media—could be foreign propaganda, even if it appears to be coming from fellow Americans or originating in the United States," the official said, per the Associated Press.
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