September, Friday 20, 2024

How Russia Deceives American Actors to Feature in Propaganda Videos


DPw8EnMi8UXzDGc.png

According to a report by Microsoft's Threat Analysis Center, Russia has deceived several US actors on the video message platform Cameo into spreading false information about Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky. Celebrities such as Elijah Wood were seen in videos requesting assistance for substance use on behalf of someone named "Vladimir," unaware that their content would be used for Russian propaganda. Russia has persistently made unfounded claims about Zelensky and other Ukrainian leaders struggling with substance abuse to gain support for their invasion of Ukraine. These manipulated videos from Cameo were modified to include emojis and logos of media outlets, and were then shared on social media, sometimes through Russian government-owned or backed channels. One instance even involved the discussion of these videos on a Russian prime-time political talk show. Microsoft has identified seven such videos since July 2023, featuring popular figures like Priscilla Presley, Dean Norris, Kate Flannery, and John C McGinley. Cameo stated that it cannot comment on ongoing investigations but emphasized that the use of its videos in Russian propaganda would violate its community guidelines. They added that in confirmed violation cases, Cameo takes steps to remove the problematic content and suspend the purchaser's account. A representative for Elijah Wood clarified that the actor's video was solely in response to a request on Cameo and had no connection to Zelensky, Russia, Ukraine, or the conflict. The article also highlights Russia's increasing use of different tactics to disseminate false information about the Ukrainian war on social media. Recently, a Wired report revealed that images of celebrities like Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian were combined with anti-Ukraine quotes, falsely implying their endorsement. This disinformation campaign reached at least 7.6 million Facebook users and has been linked to a Russian influence operation with previous ties to the Kremlin.