Russia is still using social media in a sustained campaign to dabble in US affairs, according to FBI director Chris Wray.
Wray, speaking at a House Judiciary Hearing on FBI Oversight on Wednesday 5 February, said that Russia is still engaged in an “information warfare” campaign against the US, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Wray singled out disinformation campaigns as a particular threat to the US in his testimony, warning:
The goal of these foreign influence operations directed against the United States is to spread disinformation, sow discord, push foreign nations’ policy agendas, and ultimately undermine confidence in our democratic institutions and values.
The FBI has a three-pillar approach, Wray said, beginning with an open investigation into foreign influence activities spanning field offices around the country. Second, it works with international partners and US intelligence agencies to share information. Finally, it regularly meets with social media companies to brief them on the latest threats, sharing specific account information, he said.