U.S. intelligence officials have long known that foreign adversaries are trying to sow division in the country through misinformation and disinformation. That threat has intensified in the social media age.
A new report from the German Marshall Fund finds that nations like Russia, China and others are becoming more sophisticated in these techniques, targeting state and local governments. According to the report, they are sometimes pushing favorable policy agendas at the local level or they’re using local debates as part of a broader geopolitical effort.
The report singles out North Carolina as one of the targets. It says countries like Russia, China and Cuba spread false and polarizing information in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The three countries used state media and bot networks to amplify narratives, including false claims about the availability of federal disaster aid.
On the next Charlotte Talks, we are joined by some of the authors of this report, compare the situation in North Carolina to other states and learn how people can recognize and guard against misinformation and disinformation.
GUESTS:
David Salvo, managing director, Alliance for Securing Democracy
Bret Schafer, senior fellow for media and digital disinformation, Alliance for Securing Democracy
