New Delhi:

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has alleged that several prominent right-wing social media influencers were unknowingly part of a Russian operation designed to sway the 2024 US presidential elections, CNN reported. The influencers, who collectively reach millions of Americans, were allegedly used as “mouthpieces” for Russian propaganda without being aware of the foreign influence behind their financial support.

According to the report, court documents unsealed this week revealed that Russian state media funnelled nearly $10 million through a Tennessee-based online media company, identified by CNN as Tenet Media. The company employed well-known right-wing commentators such as Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen, and Dave Rubin. While these individuals were not directly accused of wrongdoing, the indictment has shed light on how they may have unknowingly advanced Russian interests.

Two employees of Russian state media were charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and money laundering. The DOJ states that Russia’s goal was to push narratives that aligned with Kremlin objectives, such as promoting domestic political division, weakening US support for Ukraine, and boosting conservative figures like Donald Trump.

These individuals, unaware of their role in Russian operations, were described in Cold War terms as “useful idiots.”

Tenet Media

Tenet Media, launched last year, presents itself as a platform for “heterodox views” on Western political and cultural issues. It was founded in 2022 by conservative Canadian YouTuber Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan. The company has not responded to the allegations. 

Its roster includes several former mainstream journalists turned independent creators, such as Tim Pool, who previously worked with Vice, and Benny Johnson, formerly of BuzzFeed and the Independent Journal Review. The outlet has grown in influence, hosting shows featuring far-right personalities and interviewing high-profile figures like Donald Trump.

Though the influencers claimed to retain full editorial control over their content, the DOJ alleges that the content they produced served Russia’s interests. According to court documents, Russian state media employees from RT sought to exploit these influencers’ vast audiences by amplifying pro-Russian narratives, including criticisms of US support for Ukraine and divisive discussions on LGBTQ issues.

While none of the commentators have been charged, the DOJ alleges that they were paid by Kremlin-controlled sources to promote content that benefitted Russian interests. At least three of the influencers have been contacted by the FBI for voluntary interviews. 

What The Influencers said

Tim Pool, host of The Culture War Podcast, responded to the allegations by saying that he was a victim. “If these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed,” Pool told his 2.1 million followers on X. 

My statement regarding allegations and the DOJ Indictment

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed…

— Tim Pool (@Timcast) September 4, 2024

“Disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme,” said Benny Johnson who has 2.7 million followers on X. 

A statement on the leaked DOJ indictment today:

A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s…

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 4, 2024

Dave Rubin, host of The Rubin Report, claimed that his show with Tenet Media ended months ago. “I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity,” Rubin told his 1.5 million followers on X. 

Statement on the DOJ indictment:

These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme.

I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period.

‘People of the Internet’ was a silly show covering viral videos which ended… pic.twitter.com/KQHYDUi3ot

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) September 4, 2024

DOJ Action 

The DOJ has charged two RT employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the BBC reported. 

The indictment accuses these individuals of overseeing funding and editorial operations while secretly directing Tenet Media’s output to advance Russian interests. Despite the influencers’ claims of independence, federal prosecutors assert that much of the content was strategically aligned with Russian efforts to amplify divisions within the US.

The indictment also alleges elaborate lengths to which the Russian operation went, including the creation of a fake Hungarian investor to mask RT’s involvement and the high salaries paid to the influencers allegedly receiving up to $100,000 per video.

Thiruvananthapuram:

A popular social media influencer in Kerala who attempted suicide last week died on Sunday night with her family members alleging on Monday that she took her life after becoming a victim of cyberbullying.

The killed was a 12th standard student at a premier girls’ school under the Kerala government in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

The police have launched a probe after registering a case of unnatural death.

According to sources, the girl reportedly became a victim of cyberbullying after she and her male friend split.

Unable to face the online onslaught, she attempted suicide last Monday at her home. She was rushed to a hospital where she breathed her last on Sunday night.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Paris:

Social media influencers have embraced artificial intelligence to spice up their content but they are also facing growing competition from AI-generated Instagramers, TikTokers and YouTubers.

Sporting pink hair and posing in lingerie, swimsuits or gym outfits, Aitana Lopez has more than 300,000 followers on Instagram where she is described as a “gamer at heart” and “fitness lover” — except she’s not real.

Aitana was created by The Clueless, a Barcelona-based company that describes itself as an “AI modeling agency” run by “visionaries on a mission to redefine the world of influencers”.

Sofia Novales, project manager at The Clueless, said the “rising costs associated with human influencers” was a reason behind the company’s creation.

“Virtual models, being digital, present a more economical alternative,” Novales said.

Another plus: total control over content.

“The advantages lie in unparalleled creative control, allowing seamless decision-making on image, fashion, and aesthetics without the need for physical photoshoots,” Novales said.

The rise of AI has fuelled concerns about the proliferation of deepfake videos that could be used maliciously.

Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, said Friday it would start putting “Made with AI labels” on AI-generated content in May.

AI presents a huge business opportunity for content creators: The influencer market is expected to grow rapidly, from $16.5 billion in 2022 to nearly $200 billion by 2032, according to Allied Market Research.

Younger audience

Using virtual influencers is not new: Barbie already has millions of followers on Instagram.

But they are now being used in advertisements where they can’t be told apart from a real person.

Take Lil Miquela, a “19-year-old Robot living in LA” created by a California agency in 2016.

With 2.6 million followers on Instagram and 3.5 million on TikTok, Lil Maqueta has promoted brands as big as BMW.

The idea was to “create something never seen before,” the German premium carmaker said in a statement to AFP.

“Attracting a younger, technology-savvy generation is for us the icing on the cake,” it said.

Maud Lejeune, who heads up the Paris-based digital strategy agency AD Crew, said that it isn’t difficult for the public to accept AI influencers.

“It’s like actors on TV: we know it isn’t real yet we follow them and we find it interesting, it’s like watching a mini-series.”

AD Crew represents more than 30 influencers, but Lejeune created her own virtual influencer, Metagaya, two years ago.

“The current level of design didn’t exist then. It’s technical, you’ve got to dress them, take photos for the background, create a story,” said Lejeune, acknowledging that Metagaya didn’t turn out very well.

The rapid technological progress brought by the likes of OpenAI’s Sora video generator could make it easier to create and operate realistic virtual influencers.

Deepfakes

Human influencers are also seizing on AI technology to make better videos.

France’s Charles Sterlings sees an opportunity to improve translations.

He uses different tools on platforms like HeyGen and Rask.ai to automatically translate and lip-sync his video posts into English and Spanish.

Sterlings also uses Deepshot, a platform that allows users to create deepfakes by changing the words and mouth movement of people in real videos.

He said it took him just a few minutes and a few dollars to manipulate a video of French President Emmanuel Macron.

But Sterlings sees the technology as a competitor as well as a useful tool.

“Anyone with a phone can be an influencer. But eventually, it will be artificial intelligence, available 24 hours a day, and much cheaper to develop,” he said.

For Maud Lejeune, AI can help influencers produce more content.

“It’s tough to put yourself in front of the camera for a long time and certain creators burn out… Maybe AI will provide a new way to create without exposing oneself,” she said.

The Clueless has no qualms about its AI models taking away business from real influencers.

“We don’t foresee real models becoming obsolete or replaced by AI-generated models like Aitana,” said Novales. “In our view, they can coexist as another competition of the industry.”

 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)