“One of my gravest concerns is that the level of misinformation, disinformation that may come from our adversaries after the polls close could actually be as significant as anything that happens up to closing of the polls that night.”
Senator Mark Warner, the Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, offered that assessment during a recent hearing.
He is not alone. U.S. intelligence officials warn that foreign adversaries will use our close presidential election and contests over control of Congress to spread disinformation about the results of Nov. 5. They also will look to sow confusion by amplifying any disinformation that originates in the United States about election outcomes.
“We expect these actors to at least conduct information operations denigrating U.S. democracy through Inauguration Day” on Jan. 20, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence concluded in an early October report.
All to sow discord and heighten mistrust among Americans.
This strategy is right out of the foreign disinformation playbook. Russia, China, and Iran share a common agenda: undermine Americans’ confidence in the outcome of the election. In doing so, they aim to create doubts about our democratic processes.
Stopping the flow of disinformation from abroad requires local and state governments to be very transparent about election procedures, including the counting of ballots. It depends upon leaders in Washington and relevant federal agencies like the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security calling out the bad actors’ efforts once they discover them. And it requires traditional media – print, TV, and radio – alerting the public to any mistruths. Educating the public about nefarious activities is one of the most important tools in combating the spread of falsehoods.
But we as individuals also have a primary role to play. It’s up to us to check the sources of our information during and after the election. Where did this information originate? Does that source list its owners and editors? Does it run corrections? Is it the only source of this information? And is the story or report aiming to stir up a strong emotional reaction?
And when it comes to watching videos, pay particular attention. The bad foreign actors are likely to use AI-generated deepfake videos to undermine faith in the election, a recent National Intelligence Council report claims. For example, they could doctor images of local election officials, using them to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election.
This MIT paper offers several ways to detect false images, including paying attention to the faces in the video. That’s where transformations often occur. Does that mole look real on someone’s face? Is there an unnatural glare to the person’s glasses? Does the skin appear too smooth?
These are among the questions we should ask ourselves.
And when it comes to the election, go to the website of the secretary of state in your own state. See how it’s reporting results. Or check the website of the National Association of Secretaries of State. See what it’s saying about voting issues around the country. Votebeat.org also reports on the mechanics of elections. Nothing about politics, just ballot matters.
Election Day is upon us. Sadly, that doesn’t mean modern disinformation campaigns will stop. Let us stay on guard against manipulation.
