Video falsely depicting voter fraud in Georgia linked to 'Russian influence actors,' U.S. officials say
A video purporting to depict voter fraud in Georgia is fake and the work of “Russian influence actors" determined to undermine faith in the integrity of next week's presidential election, U.S. intelligence officials said Friday.
The announcement that the video was fake represented an effort by the FBI and other federal agencies, four days before Tuesday's election, to combat foreign disinformation by calling it out rather than letting it spread for days unchecked. It follows a similar statement last week that also attributed to Russian actors a widely circulated video falsely depicting mail-in ballots for Donald Trump being destroyed in Pennsylvania.
The 20-second video in question, which began circulating on the social media platform X on Thursday afternoon, shows someone who describes himself as a Haitian immigrant talking about how he’s intending to vote multiple times in two Georgia counties for Vice President Kamala Harris.
He flashes several purported Georgia IDs with different names and addresses, and an Associated Press analysis of the information on two of the IDs confirms it does not match any registered voters in Gwinnett or Fulton counties., the two counties he mentioned.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Thursday night that the video is “obviously fake” and likely the product of Russian trolls “attempting to sow discord and chaos on the eve of the election."
Intelligence officials echoed that finding Friday, saying the video was manufactured by “Russian influence actors” and was part of “Moscow’s broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the U.S. election and stoke divisions among Americans.”
The intelligence community expects Russia, in the days before the election and weeks and months after, "to create and release additional media content that seeks to undermine trust in the integrity of the election and divide Americans,” said the joint statement from the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
The post that originally popularized the video was no longer available on Friday morning, but copycat versions of the video were still being shared widely with false claims it showed election fraud.
The video in its style and method of dissemination is similar to other videos created by Storm-1516, also known as CopyCop, a known Russian disinformation network that has created several fake videos this election, according to Darren Linvill, co-director of the Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University, who has researched the group.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump making 'joke' about Canada becoming 51st state is 'reassuring': Ambassador Hillman
Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. insists it’s a good sign U.S. president-elect Donald Trump feels 'comfortable' joking with Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Mexico president says Canada has a 'very serious' fentanyl problem
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is not escalating a war of words with Mexico, after the Mexican president criticized Canada's culture and its framing of border issues.
Quebec doctors who refuse to stay in public system for 5 years face $200K fine per day
Quebec's health minister has tabled a bill that would force new doctors trained in the province to spend the first five years of their careers working in Quebec's public health network.
Freeland says it was 'right choice' for her not to attend Mar-a-Lago dinner with Trump
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says it was 'the right choice' for her not to attend the surprise dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Friday night.
'Sleeping with the enemy': Mistrial in B.C. sex assault case over Crown dating paralegal
The B.C. Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of sexual assault after he learned his defence lawyer's paralegal was dating the Crown prosecutor during his trial.
Bad blood? Taylor Swift ticket dispute settled by B.C. tribunal
A B.C. woman and her daughter will be attending one of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows in Vancouver – but only after a tribunal intervened and settled a dispute among friends over tickets.
Eminem's mother Debbie Nelson, whose rocky relationship fuelled the rapper's lyrics, dies at age 69
Debbie Nelson, the mother of rapper Eminem whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his hit song lyrics, has died. She was 69.
NDP won't support Conservative non-confidence motion that quotes Singh
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he won't play Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's games by voting to bring down the government on an upcoming non-confidence motion.
Canadians warned to use caution in South Korea after martial law declared then lifted
Global Affairs Canada is warning Canadians in South Korea to avoid demonstrations and exercise caution after the country's president imposed an hours-long period of martial law.
Local Spotlight
N.S. teacher, students help families in need at Christmas for more than 25 years
For more than a quarter-century, Lisa Roach's middle school students have been playing the role of Santa Claus to strangers during the holidays.
N.S. girl battling rare disease surprised with Taylor Swift-themed salon day
A Nova Scotia girl battling a rare disease recently had her “Wildest Dreams” fulfilled when she was pampered with a Swiftie salon day.
Winnipeg city councillor a seven-time provincial arm wrestling champ
A Winnipeg city councillor doesn’t just have a strong grip on municipal politics.
Watch: Noisy throng of sea lions frolic near Jericho Beach
A large swarm of California sea lions have converged in the waters near Vancouver’s Jericho and Locarno beaches.
Auburn Bay residents brave the cold to hold Parade of Lights
It was pretty cold Saturday night, but the hearts of those in a southeast Calgary neighbourhood warmed right up during a big annual celebration.
Three million grams of cereal collected to feed students in annual Cereal Box Challenge
The food collected will help support 33 breakfast and snack programs in the Greater Essex County District School Board.
Regina's LED volume wall leaving Sask. months after opening
Less than a year after an LED volume wall was introduced to the film world in Saskatchewan, the equipment is making its exit from the province.
Temperature records broken, tied following latest snowfall in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan received yet more snow as winter continues to ramp up on the prairies. With the increased precipitation, communities have recorded dipping temperatures – with a handful breaking or tying longstanding records.
'My dear Carmel': Lost letters returned to 103-year-old Guelph, Ont. woman
A young history buff was able to reunite a Guelph, Ont. woman with letters written by her husband almost 80 years ago.