October 14, 2018
Idaho is not immune to Russian meddling and disinformation
On Jan. 6, 2017, the United States intelligence community released a report documenting Russia’s interference in our elections. One of us, Andrea Kendall-Taylor, was a senior U.S. intelligence officer working on Russia at the time. Although the intelligence community could not disclose the array of evidence underpinning the assessment, the judgments were robust and clear: Russia interfered in our election to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process and to help President Trump’s electoral prospects.
Even today, Russian efforts to meddle in our democracy have not abated.
Our public discussions about Russian interference are often conducted in broad terms: Russian actors use social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to spread messages that reach millions of U.S. citizens. While true, these overarching statements mask the targeted and tailored tactics that Russia employs. Russian actors have demonstrated a nuanced understanding of our political system (by targeting select electoral districts), and of the grievances plaguing specific communities. Russian narratives identify and amplify divisive issues to polarize our society and undermine faith in our democracy.
Idaho has not been immune.
On March 10, 2015, American Falls became an early testing ground for Russian disinformation. That day, Twitter accounts reported that a phosphorous leak poisoned the water supply in American Falls. Soon after, more news outlets picked up the story. Photos of people wearing biohazard suits began to circulate. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality identified the story as fake, and officials tried to reassure people that their water was safe. That was no simple task. In fact, research indicates that false stories spread six times faster than true ones.
Read the full article in The Idaho Statesman.
More from CNAS
-
Will Europe Send Combat Forces to Ukraine?
Commentary
Any idea that Europe could deter Russia from breaking a cease-fire and renewing its attack with the presence of a light peacekeeping force is fantasy....
By Franz-Stefan Gady
-
Israel Strikes Gaza as Efforts for a Truce Intensify; Trump Envoy to Visit Ukraine
Video
Jim Townsend, an adjunct senior fellow in the CNAS Transatlantic Security Program, joins to discuss reports that President-elect Donald Trump’s envoy to Ukraine intends to vis...
By Jim Townsend
-
Putin’s Point of No Return
Commentary
The United States and Europe must invest in resisting Russia now or pay a far greater cost later....
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Michael Kofman
-
What Can Europe do in Syria?
Podcast
After 54 years of brutal rule in Syria, the al-Assad family’s reign came to an end last week. Following 13 years of devastating civil war, which saw over a million refugees fl...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
