US agencies warn foreign influence to target swing states ahead of elections.
Hours before the US presidential elections, intelligence agencies issued a joint statement flagging increased foreign interference attempts focused on swing states.
The FBI, CISA, and ODNI observed Russia conducting additional influence operations intending to undermine faith in polls and exacerbate divisions among Americans.
Such activities were expected to intensify through election day and subsequent weeks, with foreign narratives zeroing in on key battleground states, as per the statement.
Russia emerged as the most active threat, possibly manufacturing fake videos and articles delegitimizing the process and fomenting violence fears.
Iran too posed a continued risk, having allegedly hacked one campaign earlier and aiming to suppress voting through disinformation.
While Russia denied meddling allegations, voters were advised to rely only on official election sources for updates.
Authorities also encouraged vigilance from campaigns and administrators, reporting any suspicious criminal activity to the relevant Election Crime Coordinators.
As polarising campaigns came to a climax, the warning underscored foreign ploys to shape voter perceptions during this critical juncture in deciding America’s political course.
