How to Interfere on an Election

The internet has transformed political discourse, particularly impactfull was Facebook on the 2016 U.S. elections. The proliferation of "junk news" became endemic, with fake news strategically targeted to key electoral locations. Facebook, one of the most important platforms for public life in democratic and even non-democratic countries, uses advertising algorithms that allow politically motivated advertisers to reach a selectively chosen audience, contributing to the phenomenon of neopopulism or network populism. However, Facebook does not provide a public record of the political ads it shows users, making it impossible for analysts to systematically measure the spread of junk news. In contrast, other types of media require political candidates to declare their sponsorship and file copies with the Federal Election Commission, a requirement Facebook does not meet.

Russian agents hacked the Democratic Party's network, stealing thousands of emails from party officials, Hillary Clinton's campaign staff, and key supporters. These documents were then released on WikiLeaks and other sites in the months leading up to the election.

Russian agents were also accused of conducting a social media "troll" campaign to spread disinformation, posting fake stories, and posing as Americans to generate debate on divisive issues and provoke discord. This effort included purchasing ads and general publicity by Russian agents.

Russian interference was not limited to national elections; agents attempted to breach the election systems of 21 states. These attempts did not affect vote-counting mechanisms. Instead, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the intrusion attempts as vulnerability checks. While DHS did not name the states involved, reports indicated that Russia investigated Maryland's online ballot delivery system.

The National Security Agency (NSA) detailed the extent of these cyberattacks on state election systems. The NSA report stated that a voting software vendor was attacked and at least 100 election officials were targeted. These attacks occurred just days before the 2016 election, focusing on voter registration systems and phishing emails sent to individuals responsible for voter registration. While the report did not conclude that these attacks were successful, the NSA could not confirm whether any data was compromised or lost. The vulnerability checks, even if they indicated a system was secure, still mapped the system's defenses.

The psychological impact, as the Russian doctrine suggests, is often as crucial as physical damage. The doubt instilled by Russian agents and internal actors created a volatile informational environment that instigated and served as a force multiplier to internal political polarization and radicalism that culminated in the storming of the Capitol building by Trump supporters in 2021.