Tim Walz is the victim of a disturbing deepfake campaign & Russia is likely behind it - LGBTQ Nation
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Fake AI-generated videos have been spreading lies about the vice presidential candidate.

Fake AI-generated videos have been spreading lies about the vice presidential candidate.

A Kremlin-backed propaganda network is allegedly behind a disinformation campaign targeting Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz, spreading false rumors that he sexually assaulted former students, according to WIRED.

Various experts allege that the network Storm-1516 is behind these efforts. This network is tied to many false claims, including one that alleged Kamala Harris committed a hit-and-run in 2011.

  • PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works
    54·
    1 month ago

    Much of this traces back to John Dougan, an ex-Floridian cop who now works with the Kremlin to spread disinformation. Dougan helped spread the initial false claims about Walz, appearing with an anonymous man, “Rick,” who claims to be a former student. Dougan runs numerous fake news websites used by Storm-1516.

    Emphasis mine.

    Isn’t this illegal? Doesn’t he have to register as state-sponsored media or something? Also, Russia is an “Unfriendly Country” - doesn’t that come into play?

      • Optional@lemmy.world
        8·
        1 month ago

        Say there’s a thing. is he paying taxes on his Russian disinfo paycheck? No? Not claiming any benefit is he? Well, if it was an organization with a hint of respectability and not Florida Cops, they’d probably be taking a look at his pension payouts.

      • PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        1 month ago

        I was thinking it would be akin to something like this:

        U.S. says Russia funded media company that paid right-wing influencers millions for videos

        Two Russian nationals working for a news network controlled by Vladimir Putin’s government funneled millions of dollars to an American media company that paid right-wing influencers for videos pushing narratives favorable to the Kremlin, U.S. prosecutors alleged on Wednesday.

        The indictment alleges that Tenet never disclosed to its audience that it was “funded and directed” by RT, and neither the company nor its founders registered with the Justice Department as an agent of a foreign principal.

  • John Richard@lemmy.world
    51·
    1 month ago

    Sexual abuse of minors, DUIs, etc. That doesn’t sound like the Russians but more like the entire GOP platform of Gaslight, Obstruct & Project.

    • andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      71·
      1 month ago

      Pavel Durov of VK, Telegram allegedly hit a cop with a car but after some time the case just disappeared from a public eye. It was somewhen around the time he sold his first website to a select oligarch. This was speculated that it was a part of a deal.

      • John Richard@lemmy.world
        91·
        1 month ago

        In my hometown a prominent representative’s son hit and killed a pedestrian at night while drunk and drove home and parked their damaged and obviously murderous vehicle in the family garage. The Senator didn’t report it for multiple days and finally when he did his son plead guilty and got 4 years, 2 with good behavior. Black people get locked up in the same state for 7 to 10 years for marijuana possession. What you describe as a deal is commonplace for politicians.

  • hate2bme@lemmy.world
    920·
    1 month ago

    I swear I think he is the only good person in the top two parties. I find it fucked up that there are prominent Democrats and the Republican parties presidential candidate are proven to have been to Epsteins island multiple times and people act like it’s a “conspiracy”. And Harris is an ex prosecutor so she is a POS just for that.