Microsoft Alerts on Russian Influence in US Elections

People are worried about AI tricking us. Microsoft found that basic fake images are more common than very complex ones, and that fake sounds affect us more than fake videos.

Microsoft has noticed Russian online campaigns trying to affect the upcoming US presidential election over the last 45 days, although these efforts are not as fast as before. These activities from Russia are spreading messages that create division, especially by criticizing American support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, and are aimed at the US people. Microsoft's experts have seen an increase in messages about Ukraine on regular media and social networks, involving at least 70 groups linked to Russia.

The biggest of these campaigns is said to be connected to Russia's Presidential Administration, and another one works on spreading false information in many languages. The plan starts with posting videos pretending to be from someone revealing secrets or a regular person reporting the news. Then, this false information is spread more widely through websites like DC Weekly and Miami Chronicle. Microsoft has pointed out that people in the US often share and repost this information without knowing where it comes from.

Microsoft has noticed more hacking by a Russian group called Star Blizzard (or Cold River), which is now focusing on important US political figures and groups that think about policy. This hacking might be preparing for what Russia wants to do before the US elections in November. Even though there are worries about harmful AI use, Microsoft has found that simple fake audio is more common and can affect people more than very complex fake videos, known as deepfakes.

Microsoft also mentioned that even though AI can create fake content, this type of content usually doesn't become very popular on social media. Simple tricks are more likely to change what people think and believe. Microsoft's report highlights ongoing worries about foreign countries trying to mess with the US election through false information.

FAQs

Q1. What did Microsoft discover about Russian online campaigns?

Microsoft found that Russian online efforts are trying to influence the US presidential election by spreading divisive messages and false information.

Q2. How are these Russian campaigns affecting the US election?

These campaigns spread disinformation and create division among US voters by targeting sensitive topics and spreading misleading content.

Q3. Why is Microsoft concerned about these campaigns?

Microsoft is concerned because these campaigns can undermine trust in the democratic process and influence election outcomes by spreading misinformation.

Reference

1. https://dig.watch/