CYBERATTACKS

Intel Chief James Clapper: Russia Behind ‘Fake News’ in 2016

Says their propaganda campaign is “multi-faceted.”

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on Thursday that Russia cyberattacking campaigns are “multi-faceted” and also include fake news. “This was a multi-faceted campaign,” Clapper said at a Senate hearing on Thursday morning. “So the hacking was only one part of it, and it also entailed classical propaganda, disinformation, fake news.” Clapper’s testimony confirms suspicions that, in addition to hacking into U.S. political institutions like the Democratic National Committee, Russia helped propagate and spread fake news online as part of its purported goal of helping to elect Donald Trump. Asked whether Russia’s campaign is continuing, Clapper said simply: “Yes.”