Dear Non-American Fellas: How You Can Help Counter Foreign Influence Ops
Blaming all Americans for MAGA plays into disinformation tactics.
My first guest writer with a plea. It’s an important one.
Here’s how to stay focused on the real fight.
Dear Non-American Fellas,
We hear you. We know you’re angry, sad, and feel defeated. Trust us, we feel the same. Our support for Ukraine has not changed. Over the weekend, I noticed a substantial increase in non-NAFO accounts calling out fake MAGA accounts. This is encouraging! But American fellas need your help too.
A free Ukraine depends on a strong and supportive US administration. Please be mindful of your words. We all know that Russia is behind foreign influence. Blaming all Americans for MAGA is as unfair as blaming all people from any nation for the actions of a single movement.
Let’s Get Clear:
1️⃣ The United States is not a monolith.
2️⃣ MAGA is a specific political movement, not the entire country.
3️⃣ Many Americans actively resist MAGA extremism.
4️⃣ Collective blame mirrors the tactics of disinformation and division.
How to frame it instead:
Acknowledge that MAGA represents a segment of America.
Separate the government and specific movements from the people as a whole. Recognize allies within America working to uphold justice, equity, and global cooperation.
Focus on actions and systems, not blanket identities, when seeking accountability.
Quick Refresher: What is Social Engineering in Foreign Influence Ops?
Social engineering is the manipulation of people using psychological tactics to spread false or misleading information, shape beliefs, and provoke actions that serve the manipulator’s goals. Foreign fake MAGA accounts: Inflame division by posing as “fellow Americans” in MAGA groups. Build trust by engaging with your posts so you follow them. Spread propaganda through “friends” you believe are real.
The History:
Foreign MAGA Influence Ops Foreign influence operations want you to see Americans as:
❌ All racist
❌ All extremist
❌ All warmongering
This us vs. them framing deepens polarization and weakens global solidarity.
In 2023: China (Spamouflage Network):
Created fake MAGA accounts with flags & slogans.
Posted anti-Biden memes, conspiracies, race & border issues.
Used AI-generated faces & captions to blend in.
Goal: Sow chaos, distract from China’s own issues. Russia (Storm-1516): Evolved from IRA troll farms.
Posed as “patriotic grandmas” & “veterans.”
Pushed pro-Trump & anti-Ukraine narratives.
Used deepfake videos to attack Democrats.
Goal: Undermine elections, weaken US support for Ukraine.
Platforms targeted: Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, Telegram, Truth Social.
They joined MAGA groups, replied to real users, and reposted influencers to gain credibility.
The US Response:
FBI & CISA flagged accounts for takedown. Meta, X, YouTube removed hundreds of fake profiles.
NSA launched cyber ops to disrupt troll farms.
Treasury sanctioned Russian operatives.
How You Can Help Countering foreign fake accounts requires:
✅ Detection
✅ Reporting
✅ Community education
✅ Slowing down viral misinformation
✅ Building collective resilience T
This drains their influence while protecting your communities without violating platform policies or your integrity.
The Bottom Line:
🔹 Instead of blaming all Americans, acknowledge MAGA as a segment, not the whole.
🔹 Recognize grassroots resistance within the US.
🔹 Understand that blaming all Americans: Erases nuance. Plays into division. Ignores those working for justice.
The real fight is against disinformation, injustice, and extremism—not against entire populations.
If you’re ready to help, amplify this message, educate your networks, and stay vigilant. Together, we can defend Ukraine, democracy, and truth while dismantling foreign influence ops that thrive on our division.
 |
|