On Monday, October 28th, a U.S. official stated that after two devastating hurricanes hit the United States, individuals with pro-Russia and pro-China influence, as well as the Cuban government, have been spreading false information, including claims that the U.S. government rejected disaster relief applications.
According to Reuters, this assessment was shared by the U.S. official anonymously after the U.S. government declassified some intelligence information. It is currently unclear whether this information is directly related to the U.S. presidential election on November 5th.
The White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stated that following Hurricanes Milton and Helen, there has been a surge in misinformation surrounding relief efforts, making it difficult for relief officials to carry out their work and fueling criticism of the Biden administration.
The U.S. official mentioned that foreign forces have played a role in spreading false messages.
Russia has been spreading fake news related to hurricanes on the instant messaging application Telegram, including a picture released by the Russian state media RIA Novosti on October 10th, which is likely artificially generated, depicting Disneyland submerged in floodwater.
The official stated that a pro-Kremlin English account also shared this picture on an unnamed American social media platform. Reuters reported this month that these clearly artificially generated fake Disneyland pictures have been viewed nearly 500,000 times globally.
The official said that some Russian internet celebrities (influencers) have also used their social media accounts to spread other “provocative” content related to hurricanes, such as a post on October 9th claiming that the U.S. government rejected disaster relief applications.
A social media influencer with connections to the Chinese Communist Party also spread false information related to hurricanes, including reposting fake social media posts alleging that U.S. spending on foreign conflicts has weakened support for disaster victims.
The official stated, “The post included a picture that may have been generated by artificial intelligence, depicting Vice President Kamala Harris overlooking the disaster scene of a flood with a sign next to her saying that all of America’s money went to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.”
The official mentioned that Cuba also reposted a message implying that U.S. support for Israel and Ukraine has diverted disaster relief resources, aligning with many themes on Russian and Chinese social media platforms.