"US Influencers Are 'Useful Fools'... New Targets of Russian Operations"

"Strategy Becomes More Sophisticated... Operation Targeting Influencers, Not Media"

It has been confirmed that Russia, attempting to interfere in the U.S. presidential election, provided large sums of money for content production to right-wing U.S. online channels, leading to criticism that today's American political influencers have become 'useful idiots' who, during the Cold War, sympathized with the former Soviet Union and incited social division.

[Image source=Pixabay]

On the 7th (local time), foreign media including CNN reported that the U.S. Department of Justice indicted two employees of Russia's state broadcaster RT on the 4th for illegally funding Tennit Media, a right-wing media company based in Tennessee. Subsequently, YouTube blocked four right-wing channels including Tennit Media. A Department of Justice official explained, "RT employees supported Tennit Media, operated by right-wing media entrepreneur Loren Chen, with $10 million (about 13.3 billion KRW) through a shell company and had them produce online videos to amplify political division in the United States."

In particular, it is known that Russia sought to promote former President Trump's nomination as a presidential candidate, questioned Western support for Ukraine, and wanted criticism of the LGBT movement. In fact, commentators on Tennit Media reportedly acted according to these Russian intentions. One commentator claimed on a broadcast last month, "Ukraine is our enemy funded by the Democrats. To reiterate, one of the major enemies of our country right now is Ukraine." However, they claim to have been unaware of their connection to Russia.

CNN explained, "The Russian government has long conducted operations using Americans to spread disinformation and exert influence, with the goal of advancing Russian interests by fostering division within the United States. Especially in recent years, Russia has infiltrated both right-wing and left-wing social movements in the U.S. by exploiting the anonymity provided by social networking services (SNS) and the internet."

A senior official from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) pointed out, "Russian operations have become more sophisticated than in past elections. Russia is transforming propaganda and divisive narratives online to appear as the genuine voices of Americans to shake public opinion within the U.S., particularly targeting battleground states in the presidential election."

Renee DiResta, a former research manager at Stanford University's Internet Observatory, remarked, "Nation-state actors use both broadcasting and social media across various domains. Currently, Russia employs multiple strategies simultaneously. Now, influencers rather than journalists are being used as the most 'useful idiots.'"