The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Mark Warner, stated on Tuesday that the threat to U.S. elections from Russia and other foreign powers is significantly higher now than it was in 2020.
Senator Warner highlighted various reasons for the increased danger, including the growing expertise of adversarial countries in spreading disinformation, the heightened vulnerability of Americans to propaganda, challenges in communication between the government and social media companies, and the enhanced capabilities provided by artificial intelligence to foreign powers.
The Intelligence Committee had planned to conduct a hearing on election threats on Wednesday, but it was postponed to allow the Senate to focus on the articles of impeachment against Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary. Senator Warner expressed his intention to reschedule the hearing promptly.
A bipartisan report by the Senate Intelligence Committee, released in 2020, detailed extensive efforts by Russia to influence American politics in 2016. Senator Warner emphasized that Russia has since refined its ability to shape debates in the U.S. and Europe, taking advantage of the increased vulnerability of people to misinformation.
Senator Warner noted that while there was a period when Americans and Europeans were becoming more aware of disinformation campaigns by foreign powers, conspiracy theories now seem to be gaining more traction.
He highlighted the impact of polarization, lack of faith in institutions, and the greater willingness of individuals to accept conspiracy theories. Vulnerability to influence operations extends beyond the U.S., as seen in examples like Slovakia, where Russian misinformation influenced public opinion on the war in Ukraine.
Following the 2016 election, U.S. intelligence agencies intensified efforts to counter foreign interference. During the 2018 midterms, U.S. Cyber Command issued warnings to Russians conducting influence operations and shut down troll farms spreading disinformation.
In 2020, senior intelligence officials repeatedly warned about Russian efforts to spread false information about Joseph R. Biden Jr. during the presidential campaign.
Senator Warner expressed concern that the focus on countering such efforts may have decreased. Court rulings in July and September temporarily halted coordination between the U.S. government and social media companies, disrupting the sharing of threat information.
He filed an amicus brief in a Supreme Court case emphasizing the importance of voluntary information exchanges to combat foreign influence campaigns.
Artificial intelligence tools have enhanced the spread of deceptive information, with faked voice recordings being identified as a potent vehicle for disinformation campaigns.
Mr. Warner highlighted the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its potential to influence public opinion, particularly through faked videos. He emphasized the continued threat posed by Russia in elections, noting that Moscow excels in influence operations, but warned against underestimating China’s capacity in this area.
He stressed that intelligence officials must convey a sense of urgency regarding the threat of foreign influence, emphasizing that the problem has not diminished and could be more severe than in previous years.
