This time around, the US has seized a network of Russian-run internet domains, and sanctioned ten people including Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT (formerly Russia Today), for “activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions”. Sanctions include freezing any property or assets in the US, and potentially restrictions on any US citizen or company that works with them.
Here are five key features of Russian information manipulation we identified, and which can help understand the latest election-meddling scandal.
- Using local influencers
- Fake news outlets
- Adding fuel to the fire
- Flipping the script
- Humour
I actually get made pretty uncomfortable by the xenophobia about ‘election meddling’ every couple years about ‘the russians’ like we’re some monolith, sometimes I post about it. But I guess that’s me the (#1) local influencer posting on the (#2) fake news outlet lemmy.ml, clearly trying to goad people (#3) with my (#4) flipping the script takes and unfunny bits (#5) 😕
WTF Putin why aren’t you paying me already, do you have any idea how much rent in America costs??
Word.
I see what you did there. Very humorous.