FBI warns that fake videos using its name, insignia are spreading election misinformation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation stated Tuesday it was conscious of two cases of its title and insignia getting used to unfold misinformation surrounding the 2024 presidential election. 

The movies have been amongst quite a few fabricated clips mimicking information organizations and officers circulated on-line on Monday, spreading false details about safety threats and election integrity as tens of tens of millions of People head to the polls. The movies have been probably created by a Russian disinformation group, researchers say.

Two videos, created to appear like they have been launched by the FBI, made false claims about voter fraud, alleging that the administration of 5 prisons in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona, had rigged inmate voting and colluded with a political get together. The movies usually are not genuine, and their contents are false, the FBI stated. 

Different fabricated movies have been shared in current days. One fabricated video, created to appear like a report from CBS Information, falsely stated the FBI was advising individuals to “vote remotely” attributable to a possible terror assault. No such warning has been issued by U.S. officers and no such report has been produced by CBS Information. The account that posted the video on the social media platform X was suspended on Monday afternoon.

“This video is just not genuine and doesn’t precisely signify the present menace posture or polling location security,” the FBI stated in a statement Tuesday. 

One other video was fabricated to appear like it was produced by Fox Information.

The movies have been probably created by the identical Russian disinformation group that launched two further fabricated FBI movies in current days, in accordance with Antibot4Navalny, a collective of researchers that tracks on-line Russian disinformation.

The group has a historical past of mimicking worldwide information shops and U.S. authorities entities. A lot of their posts embody QR codes that hyperlink to official information shops to make the posts seem genuine. The group revealed comparable false claims about threats forward of the Olympics.

“Election integrity is amongst our highest priorities, and the FBI is working intently with state and native legislation enforcement companions to reply to election threats and shield our communities as People train their proper to vote,” the FBI stated Tuesday. “Makes an attempt to deceive the general public with false content material about FBI menace assessments and actions intention to undermine our democratic course of and erode belief within the electoral system.” 

Erielle Delzer

Erielle Delzer is a verification producer for CBS Information Confirmed. She covers misinformation, AI and social media. Contact Erielle at [email protected].