Microsoft and tech leaders warn of foreign election interference from Russia, Iran, and China at Senate hearing, highlighting risks ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.
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| Senate Committee hears testimony on Russian and Iranian disinformation, as Microsoft predicts critical threats to U.S. democracy days before the 2024 election. Symbolic image |
Washington, USA - September 19, 2024:
In a Senate Committee hearing on foreign election interference, U.S. officials and tech executives raised alarms about the growing threats posed by Russia, Iran, and China to U.S. democracy. Senator Mark Warner highlighted the extensive efforts by Russia to manipulate American political discourse, saying the country had invested millions into influence campaigns that generated hundreds of millions of online impressions, deepening political and racial divisions.
Warner also pointed to Iran's increased efforts to stoke social discord in the U.S. while potentially seeking to shape elections, with China focusing on influencing down-ballot races. He revealed that Russian state-backed media, like RT, had covertly funded U.S. political influencers to spread disinformation and further disrupt voter perceptions.
Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, warned that the upcoming U.S. elections could face heightened risks, noting the involvement of foreign actors. “There is a potential moment of peril ahead,” Smith cautioned, adding that the most dangerous period could be the 48 hours before the election, based on lessons from other global elections.
Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Alphabet, detailed the rise of sophisticated disinformation campaigns, often aided by generative AI. These tools, he said, are being used to craft fake websites, articles, and social media posts designed to mislead and deepen divisions.
Meta's President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, echoed concerns about Russian interference, revealing that Meta recently banned Rossiya Segodnya, a Kremlin-affiliated organization, after its editor-in-chief boasted of "guerrilla projects" aimed at disrupting American democracy.
As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, officials remain vigilant in the face of increasingly complex threats from foreign state actors seeking to influence the outcome.