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Claims of using paid actors in a recent Harris-Walz campaign advertisement have surfaced on social media. A couple criticizing former President Donald Trump is featured in the advertisement, which has caused controversy. Opponents claim that, contrary to how they are presented, the pair in the advertisement is a Democratic contributor couple. Times Now hasn't independently substantiated the accusations, though.
The Harris/Walz Campaign was just busted for using paid actors in an ad pretending to be former Trump supporters. Turns out the 2 are not only actors but have been democrat donors for years. pic.twitter.com/XoHsNFfHAB
— Dinesh D’Souza (@DineshDSouza) September 30, 2024
Allegations of Staged Actors
Posts on X, the previous Twitter, accusing Vice President Kamala Harris and her running partner Tim Walz of using phony actors for political ends gave rise to the issue. Although the pair in the advertisement was shown as fierce opponents of Trump, internet users soon discovered that they were Democratic donors. This made many wonder if the campaign’s messaging was genuine. The Harris-Walz campaign has not responded to the claims, but they have sparked a discussion about political advertising openness.
Russian Interference and Disinformation Campaigns
Disinformation campaigns with ties to Russia have already attacked the Harris-Walz campaign. Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center claims that Russian bots have been disseminating fictitious films in an effort to discredit Harris’s presidential campaign. In the run-up to the 2024 election, these films hope to confuse viewers and disseminate false information.
In one case, a video that went viral on X misrepresented Harris's ties to the massive pharmaceutical company Pfizer. The video purported to be a part of an investigation by the Netherlands-based media group Bellingcat, and it featured a phony CNN watermark. Eliot Higgins, the founder of Bellingcat, disproved the video, claiming it was a fiction enhanced by bots.
Foreign Meddling in U.S. Elections
The most recent study from Microsoft reveals a more comprehensive plan by foreign parties to meddle in American elections. Russian operatives have been disseminating false information on social media sites like X and Telegram. They are especially associated with the Kremlin-aligned organization Storm-1516. Among their initiatives is a video that allegedly depicts Harris fans assaulting a Trump rally goer. These strategies are a part of a bigger attempt by foreign nations, such as China, Iran, and Russia, to take advantage of weaknesses in the American political system.
Journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh of BBC Verify has been monitoring these efforts at deception with great care. He identified a number of discrepancies in the movies that were circulated online, suggesting that they are a component of a pro-Kremlin operation run by Russian propagandist John Mark Dougan, a former Florida deputy sheriff.