By Matt Underwood Russia is quietly churning out fake content posing as US news. It’s a well-established tactic, a digital shadow war that’s been waged for decades, and it’s arguably not so quiet anymore. The aim is to sow division, erode trust in institutions, and ultimately, to influence public opinion. This is often achieved by mimicking the look and feel of legitimate news outlets, sometimes even using AI-generated deepfakes of well-known personalities to narrate the content.
The fact that Russia’s disinformation efforts are “posing as US news” is a crucial element. This means that the content is designed to look as if it originates from American sources, making it more likely to be believed by US audiences. This isn’t subtle; it’s a targeted attack on the very fabric of truth and reality. This is not confined to text and articles. We’re talking about sophisticated operations including fake documentaries that are cleverly designed, and videos that appear to come from trusted sources.
It’s important to understand the alignment here. The fact that some Republican figures and right-wing influencers readily share and amplify this disinformation should be a major red flag. Their policy stances and the messages they promote often coincide with those of Russian propaganda, which makes them unwitting or willing tools of its spread. There are people, even in high positions, who seem to be selling out their principles for money and influence.
This goes beyond simple political alignment. Consider the recent softening of certain topics. The sudden shift in the discussion surrounding figures like Donald Trump’s camp regarding the Epstein scandal, for example. This kind of strategic opening, often facilitated by people with significant reach, is an example of how carefully-crafted disinformation can be injected into the mainstream.
This is a pattern that’s been visible since at least 2016, around the time of the Brexit vote. They’ve been mainlining propaganda into political campaigns for years. The methods, the targets, and the goals have all been consistent. It’s about building cynicism. It’s about making people question everything. It’s about normalizing corruption.
The lack of scrutiny is concerning. How many people, confronted with a headline or a piece of content, actually stop to question the source? The ease with which this content is shared, re-posted, and amplified is a testament to its effectiveness. The uncritical consumption of information, regardless of its source, is a major weakness.
The situation is compounded by how news is consumed in the US. The proliferation of partisan outlets, the lack of media literacy, and the increasing reliance on social media as a primary source of information have created a fertile ground for disinformation to thrive. The current administration is even cutting back on agencies meant to counter these very tactics.
It’s also hard to determine where these types of sources are coming from now because the news is such an all-around mess. There are willing agents of disinformation who will sell their principles and their country for money. Sometimes for a pittance, too. The tactics, unfortunately, work.
The world outside the US often views it as a spectator sport, which can make things even more difficult. The willingness of fringe, often outlandish, narratives to find an audience, regardless of their veracity, further complicates the situation.
The echo chambers created by social media are equally problematic. The far-right influencers who amplify the lies to their audience is a powerful tool that can be used. This creates a filter bubble where the same narratives are repeated and reinforced, making it even harder for people to distinguish between fact and fiction.
It’s not just about creating fake content, it’s about the real issues. The most alarming aspect of this isn’t the fake content itself, but how easily people believe it without fact-checking. The media picking it up and pushing it in their own content, which pervades the lie.
A recent example of this occurred in the coverage of the conflict in Ukraine. Reports about a “Russian breakthrough” became a story of a massive Russian advance. In reality, the Russians were getting bogged down in a small area. That’s because Ukraine uses drones to offset their smaller manpower base, and so giving up small amounts of territory is part of the game.
The scale and the impact of this disinformation campaign are substantial. It is being deployed in a comprehensive, coordinated manner. What we’re seeing is a concerted effort to undermine the truth, distort reality, and manipulate public perception.