In a chilling development, a former Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy and US Marine, John Mark Dougan, has reportedly transformed into a Kremlin propagandist. According to leaked documents obtained by a European intelligence service and reviewed by The Washington Post, Dougan is collaborating with Russia’s GRU, the military intelligence service, to produce and disseminate deepfake videos targeting Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign for the 2024 US elections.
The documents expose a disturbing collaboration between Dougan and the GRU, revealing financial support provided to him by a GRU officer. This funding was partly fueled by Dougan’s difficulties in accessing Western artificial intelligence systems for his fake news sites, prompting him to require an AI generator – a tool capable of generating text, images, and videos.
The use of deepfakes, highly realistic manipulated media, to sow discord and influence public opinion is a growing concern. A notable example, as highlighted by Microsoft and NewsGuard, involved a deepfake audio in August where former President Barack Obama was falsely portrayed as suggesting the Democrats had ordered the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July.
While most AI-generated videos receive limited engagement, one video about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris’s running mate, garnered a staggering 5 million views on the social platform X within 24 hours. This particular video falsely accused Harris of illegal poaching in Zambia. Another fabricated video depicted Harris making an inappropriate comment about the assassination attempt on Trump.
While many of these AI-generated videos gained little traction, the success of the video targeting Governor Walz underscores the potential for widespread misinformation to infiltrate the political landscape. This campaign highlights Russia’s ongoing efforts to influence US audiences and sow political discord using both traditional and AI-generated content.
Dougan works closely with Valery Korovin, head of the Center for Geopolitical Expertise, who received a medal from President Vladimir Putin in 2023 for “services to the Fatherland.” This collaboration further underscores the Russian government’s involvement in manipulating the information ecosystem for political gain.
The revelations about Dougan’s activities paint a stark picture of the escalating threat posed by AI-generated misinformation in US politics. As the 2024 elections approach, it is crucial for the public to remain vigilant and discern the authenticity of information circulating online. The ability to identify and counter deepfakes and other forms of AI-generated disinformation is critical in maintaining a fair and transparent democratic process.