Federal law enforcement agencies are issuing a warning to American voters over Russian and Iranian attempts to interfere with the election. The agencies say foreign actors are trying to make Americans doubt the integrity of the voting process — which they say could lead to violence against election officials.
In a joint statement, federal officials pointed to a recent article posted by Russian actors falsely claiming U.S. officials in swing states were orchestrating a plan to commit fraud. They also mentioned a video that falsely depicted an interview with someone claiming election fraud in Arizona.
Intelligence officials warned about a spike in what they call “manufactured content” on Election Day, so, if you haven’t voted yet — be careful what content you take in before you do.
The statement also said Iran remains a “significant foreign influence threat to U.S. elections.”
Microsoft analysts say these foreign actors have even created fake news sites and impersonated activists online in attempts to sway American voters’ decisions. Russia and Iran have denied claims they’re trying to influence the election.
