A false declare circulating on social media that Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris left a 13-year-old lady paralysed after an alleged hit-and-run in San Francisco in 2011 is the work of a covert Russian disinformation operation, in line with new analysis by Microsoft.
Researchers discovered that the operation created a video, paid an actor to seem because the alleged sufferer, and unfold the declare via a faux web site for a non-existent San Francisco information outlet named “KBSF-TV”. The Russian group accountable, which Microsoft dubs Storm-1516, is described as a Kremlin-aligned troll farm.
The invention is an indication of Russia ramping up its international affect efforts forward of the Nov 5 presidential election, Microsoft stated.
A spokesperson for the Russian embassy in Washington didn’t reply to a request for remark.
“Russian affect operations initially struggled to pivot operations aimed on the Democratic marketing campaign following President Biden’s departure from the US 2024 presidential race,” a weblog printed on Tuesday (Sep 17) by Microsoft stated.
“In late August, nonetheless, parts of prolific Russian actor Storm-1516 started producing content material implicating Vice President Harris and Governor Walz in outlandish faux conspiracy theories,” Microsoft stated, referring to Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz.
Storm-1516 is understood for producing deceptive movies that includes on-screen or voice actors who impersonate whistleblowers or journalists that share false, scandalous info, consultants say.
