Russia, Iran Disinformation Threatens 2024 U.S. Election

The UK and U.S. are confronting intensified disinformation campaigns, particularly from Russia, which threaten the integrity of global and national elections. The UN and various intelligence agencies have highlighted the weaponization of disinformation, exacerbated by AI, as a growing threat to democratic processes. The 2024 U.S. presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris has seen a surge in Russian-backed disinformation, with fake videos and false narratives aimed at undermining election legitimacy and inciting violence. U.S. intelligence agencies are actively warning of these threats, emphasizing that foreign influence operations are likely to continue post-election, targeting key swing states and exploiting social media to deepen societal divisions. Despite these challenges, U.S. election systems have strengthened since 2020, with increased security measures and law enforcement involvement. Iran remains a secondary actor in these disinformation campaigns.