FBI warns of Russian-made fake videos ahead of Election Day

(FOX 9) – In the last days of this election cycleThe Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is sounding the alarm about fake election videos, calling several recent videos acts of Russian interference.

The intelligence community said the doctored videos are part of an attempt to cast doubt on the US election system.

What do we know

In a joint statement, federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies noted that two recent election-related videos were fabricated by “Russian influencers.”

The video, widely circulated on social media, shows people “claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in several Georgia counties,” according to the FBI. Federal authorities said the video was a Russian-made fake.

The report also said another video was fake, which the FBI said accused “an individual associated with the Democratic presidential ticket of accepting a bribe.” Again, attributing this fabricated video to “Russian influence actors.”

The intelligence community said these Russian activities are part of a broader effort to create division and undermine the integrity of U.S. elections.

Reaction

FOX 9 Political Analyst Blois Olson said people should be vigilant when viewing election-related content. Especially because of how realistic some videos and images can seem.

“I would just tell anyone: before you click, before you believe, do an extra five to ten minutes of homework on where it came from,” Olson said. “This is good. AI does this well. People can (video) create something very real, but you really have to do the research.”

“Do your research,” Olson said. “If you’re not sure, don’t spread it. Please be careful before you share this with a group of people or post it.”

The intelligence community also said it would monitor Russian activities even in the weeks and months after Election Day.