Musk amplifies election disinformation about X. This can be avoided

No matter how you vote, know that foreign governments that view America as an enemy are trying to influence you and will continue to do so after Election Day. Check your sources.

The videos have been viewed millions of times on X, this stench of disinformation formerly known as Twitter and continues to be published there despite being exposed as a hoax of foreign origin attempting to influence our elections with lies.

A man fraudulently assumes the identity of a former high school student from Minnesota lobbies false claims about sexual abuse by the governor of this state, Tim Walz, a former teacher and current Democratic candidate for vice president.

Who would do that? And why? Our electoral past is prologue when it comes to disinformation.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) recently assessed that “Russian influential actors produced and amplified inauthentic content alleging illegal activity” by Walz “consistent with the influence efforts and tactics” employed by the Russians during this election.

Washington Post. they tracked down the former student he was impersonating on the recording, who stated that it was not him and that Walz was not his teacher.

Elon Musk, multi-billionaire is trying to buy Donald Trump’s way back to the White House, owns X and became itself a disastrous amplifier of election disinformation. No wonder he left the video for everyone to see.

American voters must do two critical and patriotic things over the next nine days – vote for whichever presidential candidate they support and avoid the impending storm of disinformation. Here’s an optional third task – ask yourself why this type of disinformation most often leans so heavily toward helping Trump win.

Elon Musk is spreading election disinformation. Surprised?

This kind of nonsense comes in all sizes. The fake video about Walz has attracted a lot of national attention, but disinformation is also aimed at the local level.

Post on October Thursday from an account dedicated to disinformation claimed to contain a video mail-in ballots for Trump’s destruction in Bucks County, the county in Pennsylvania where Vice President Kamala Harris won support among Republican Party voters 11 days ago.

law enforcement, from the local district attorney to the FBIgot involved when the video received over half a million views online before it was removed.

This too was false, a hoax deliberately published to cause division. Bucks County Board of Elections issued a bipartisan statement Thursday, which condemned “this deliberate spread of dangerous disinformation.”

The On Friday, ODNI announced the fake video the work of “Russian actors” as part of an ongoing “broader effort to raise baseless questions about the integrity of U.S. elections and stoke divisions among Americans.”

Opinion: Musk’s millions are an empty attempt at attention as he tries to boost Trump

David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer who founded Center for Innovation and Electoral Researchtold me that this year’s disinformation looks like a “repeat of the greatest hits of 2022 and 2020.”

During this election, there were many false claims about destroyed and fake ballots, dead people and foreigners voting, and so on.

“Most of them can be linked to Elon Musk and the Twitter accounts he follows, well-known disinformation accounts, most of which repeat slogans that we know have been spread by Russia, China and Iran,” Becker said.

This is what Musk reported to the Wall Street Journal he has been in constant contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin for almost two years. My standard rule about coincidences in politics has been this for a long time – I just don’t believe in them.

Election disinformation has been growing since 2016

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center has warned on Wednesday about “continued influence efforts by Russia, Iran and China to undermine U.S. democratic processes.” Microsoft said the Russians appear to want to harm Harris’ campaign. The Iranians are targeting Trump on a smaller scale.

The website of the Georgia state office that handles mail-in ballots target of a failed cyber attackpossibly from abroad, which slowed the system earlier this month but did not affect any voters or ballots.

FROM October 16 declassified a note on foreign threats on our election that predicted that China, Iran and Russia would continue disinformation and cyberattacks after the polls closed on November 5, sowing division and confusion, and “are likely willing to at least consider tactics that could incite or contribute to violent protests.” “

Opinion: In an unpredictable election, one thing is certain – Trump will lie about it

It is entirely predictable that America’s enemies will try to influence and overturn a closely contested presidential election. We’ve seen this before in the 2016 elections.

AND Russian state media exposed last month for the inflow of rubles into revenue streams three well-known right-wing agitators/influencers who then claimed they did not know they were financed by foreign money. It was probably a coincidence that their opinions coincided with what the Russian government wanted to hear. What is the rule about coincidences?

We are all, in different ways, potential recipients of this type of disinformation. Recent polls show varying views on the election and its aftermath depending on the political party. This looks like an opportunity for these bad actors to exploit.

We must remain focused throughout Election Day

Found last week’s USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll very narrow breed between Harris and Trump, and they are fundamentally related. It also found that voters have the greatest trust in electoral processes and the people who run them. But when I dug into the numbers, I noticed clear divisions.

Of the 1,000 likely voters surveyed, 75% said they would do so accept the result if the candidate they support does not win. Nearly 90% of Democrats responding to the poll said that although nearly 70% of Republicans agreed.

A similar number said they were very or average ensure that the election results will be accurately counted: 93% of Democrats thought so and 63% of Republicans agreed.

Party confidence changes when voters are asked about the peaceful transfer of power and the possibility of using political violence: 59% of Democrats expect a peaceful transition, while 86% fear violence. For Republicans, 76% expect peaceful change and 49% worry about violence.

No matter how you vote – Republican, Democrat, Independent, etc. – know that foreign governments that view America as an enemy are trying to influence you now and will continue to do so after Election Day. Check your sources. Get information directly from state and local officials who continue to have and deserve the trust you deserve.

Avoid the atmosphere. Don’t accept or reinforce claims you see online just because they are true feel right to you. This is the hook of disinformation. Don’t swallow it.

Follow USA TODAY election columnist Chris Brennan on X, formerly known as Twitter: @ByChrisBrennan