Microsoft: Russian Troll Farm Created Fake Story on Kamala Harris Hit-and-Run

A report from the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center has revealed that a Russian troll farm was responsible for disseminating false claims about Vice President Kamala Harris’s involvement in a hit-and-run accident in 2011, along with other provocative narratives that gained traction online.

The report identifies a Kremlin-affiliated group, referred to as Storm-1516, which established a fake website in the San Francisco area in August to share a video featuring a paid actor discussing the fabricated incident.

In this video, a young Black woman declared that she could “not remain silent anymore” regarding the alleged hit-and-run.

Although the website was deleted shortly after its launch, a CBS News fact-check found no supporting public records, news articles, or police data to corroborate the 2011 claim. Despite this lack of evidence, millions encountered the story on social media platforms, as highlighted in the report.

Clint Watts, general manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center, emphasized the heightened emotional state of the public as elections approach. He noted that individuals often absorb information from unfamiliar sources, which they may not be equipped to evaluate critically.

Additionally, the troll farm shared a fabricated video depicting two Black men attacking a bloodied white woman at a Trump rally, further contributing to the wave of misinformation.

Another Russian entity allegedly propagated claims regarding Harris’s position on gender-affirming surgeries, showcasing altered images of a fictitious billboard in Times Square.

In connection with these developments, The Independent has reached out to both the Harris campaign and the Russian Embassy in the U.S. for their perspectives.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Monday that it would be barring Russian state media organizations from its platforms.

The company stated, “After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets: Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally due to foreign interference activities.”

Russian officials responded to this move by expressing their discontent, declaring, “Such selective actions against Russian media are unacceptable.”

Adding to the tensions, earlier in the month, Dimitri Simes, a recognized expert on Russia and former foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, was indicted for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions by working with Russian state television.

Simes has firmly denied any wrongdoing in connection with the allegations.