close
close

Association-anemone

Bite-sized brilliance in every update

Fake bomb threats, videos and FBI press releases are trying to disrupt Election Day
asane

Fake bomb threats, videos and FBI press releases are trying to disrupt Election Day

Authorities have reported several cases of disinformation trying to — and in some cases, briefly succeeding — to disrupt Election Day.

The FBI warned in a news release Tuesday morning that false election information is being spread by misusing the agency’s name and insignia. The lawsuits involved a fabricated video of a fake news clip and a fake FBI press release.

“The fabricated news clip falsely reports that the FBI has stated that Americans should ‘vote remotely’ due to a high terrorist threat at polling stations,” the statement said.

The FBI said the fake video did not “accurately represent the current threat posture or the security of the polling place.”

RELATED STORY | FBI reveals its 2024 ‘command post’ to fight election threats and crime

In the second case of false election information, the FBI said that “a fabricated video containing a fabricated FBI press release alleges that management of five prisons in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia rigged inmate voting and colluded with a political party”.

The FBI did not say where this fake content came from.

In Georgia, fake news briefly disrupted polling places where authorities also reported false bomb threats.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said at a news conference Tuesday morning that he is aware of “some threats that are Russian in origin,” adding that officials do not consider them “viable.”

The fake bomb threats were sent to polling places in two Georgia counties, Fulton and Clayton.

A Georgia election official told the Scripps News Disinformation Desk that the threats were sent using an email address that has been used in the past. The official said the local police have evacuated these locations to conduct a sweep.

RELATED STORY | Bomb threats sent to Arizona polling places believed to be linked to Russia

According to the FBI, several non-credible bomb threats have been sent to polling places in other states, such as Arizona, many of which were sent from email domains originating in Russia.

“Russia is the most active threat,” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI said in a joint statement ahead of Election Day.

“Influencers linked to Russia in particular are producing videos and creating fake articles to undermine the legitimacy of the election, instill fear in voters about the electoral process, and suggest that Americans are using violence against each other because of political preferences.”

Cait Conley, senior adviser to the director of CISA, said during an election security press conference Tuesday that the agency expects to see continued activity targeting swing states by foreign actors Russia and Iran on Election Day and in the weeks ahead.

Conley said some disruptive events, such as power outages, technology issues or extreme weather, are to be expected. She urged voters to reach out to state and local officials as a “signal through the din of misinformation.”