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| Times, Feb. 12, 2017. Paul Shinkman, British Say Election Was Free of Russian Meddling U.S. News & World Report, June 16, 2017. $1,000 to promote them—constituting Russian-sponsored misinformation during the Brexit campaign the parliamentarian chairing the select committee to whom the information was reported called the Twitter report a completely inadequate response that was overly narrow in scope. 669 In addition, Facebook reports that the accounts they attribute to the Internet Research Agency ran three ads that delivered to the UK during the relevant electoral period. Those ads delivered around 200 total impressions and were associated with a total spend of $0.97 USD.’’ 670 However, in limiting their investigation to just the Internet Research Agency, Facebook missed that it is only one troll farm which has existed within a larger disinformation ecosystem in St. Petersburg,’’ including Glavset, an alleged successor of the Internet Research Agency, and the Federal News Agency, a reported propaganda media farm according to Russian investigative journalists. 671 With the deepening realization of the threat of Russian government interference, the UK government has stepped up its scrutiny of possible Russian intrusions into its democratic system and heightened its responses, from which helpful lessons can be drawn. Lessons Learned • Consolidating and Enhancing Cyber Security Can Preempt Dis- closure of Hacked Material In 2016, the UK established the NCSC as a ‘‘one-stop shop for cybersecurity within its government to protect critical services from cyberattacks, manage major incidents, and pursue technological improvements to bolster Internet security. 672 The UK government also recently announced a $2.3 billion increase in spending on cybersecurity to counter emerging threats and hostile foreign actors Some observers suggest this funding increase is linked to growing concerns about Russian activity. 673 Prior to the UK’s general election in June 2017, the NCSC contacted political party leaders and offered to help strengthen their network security in light of the potential for hostile foreign state action against the UK political system. 674 British officials stated after the poll that there was no successful Russian cyber intervention into the election process seen and asserted that systems were in place to protect against electoral fraud at all levels, though it is unclear the extent to which the lack of meddling may have also been due to a shift in the Kremlin’s approach A Diverse, Visible Response by Government and Parliamentary Actors Helps Raise Awareness of the Threat Growing revela- VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:06 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt PO 00000 Frm 00125 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 S:\FULL COMMITTEE\HEARING FILES\COMMITTEE PRINT 2018\HENRY\JAN. 9 REPORT FOREI-42327 with DISTILLER 120 David Kirkpatrick, British Cybersecurity Chief Warns of Russian Hacking The New York Times, Nov. 14, 2017. Robert Booth & Alex Hern, Intelligence Watchdog Urged to Look at Russian Influence on Brexit Vote The Guardian, Nov. 15, 2017; United Kingdom House of Commons Select Committee Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Fake News Inquiry Launched Jan. 30, 2017. Transparency International, 3 Things We’ve Learned Since the Anti-Corrutpion Summit in London 2016, Sept. 19, 2017. 679 Anti-Corruption Summit London 2016, United Kingdom Country Statement, at 1, May 12, 2016. UK Parliament, Summary of the Criminal Finances Act of 2017, https://serv- ices.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/criminalfinances.html (visited Dec. 30, 2017); ‘‘Magnitsky Bill Turns UK into Hostile Environment for Kleptocrats,’’ BBC, Feb. 21, 2017. tions of possible Russian government interference into the Brexit referendum and UK democracy were met with a sharp warning from Prime Minister May in an address in November 2017 in which she told the Kremlin, We know what you are doing . . . and you will not succeed and described Russian state actions as threatening the international order.’’ 676 In mid-November 2017, Prime Minister May suggested that a prominent intelligence and security parliamentary committee would be reformed soon to investigate Russian meddling in the British election, a development called for by senior parliamentarians from both the Labour and Conservative parties. Meanwhile, the Commons Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee opened an inquiry in January 2017 to investigate the scope and role of disinformation and propaganda in Britain. 677 As mentioned earlier, the Electoral Commission opened investigations into possible campaign finance violations and the source of funding for the Brexit Leave campaign. On the corruption front, in May 2016 the United Kingdom hosted an anti-corruption summit in which 43 governments and six international organizations participated, resulting in a Global Declaration Against Corruption and 648 commitments by participating states and entities to strengthen various aspects of transparency and accountability for corruption. 678 The government of Former Prime Minister David Cameron announced at the summit, among other steps, the launch of the UK’s public central register of company beneficial ownership information for all companies incorporated in the UK as well as for foreign companies who already own or buy property in the UK, or who bid on UK central government contracts.’’ 679 The United Kingdom in April 2017 also passed into law the Criminal Finances Act, which strengthens provisions against tax evasion and includes a section modeled after the US. Global Magnitsky Rule of Law and Accountability Act enabling the freezing of assets of foreign officials who have committed gross human rights violations. 680 VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:06 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt PO 00000 Frm 00126 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 S:\FULL COMMITTEE\HEARING FILES\COMMITTEE PRINT 2018\HENRY\JAN. 9 REPORT FOREI-42327 with DISTILLER 121 681 Gregor Aisch, et al., How France Voted The New York Times, May 7, 2017; Nicholas Vinocur, Macron, Standing by Putin, Calls RT and Sputnik Agents of Influence Politico, May 29, 2017. Nicholas Vinocur, Macron and the Czar at Versailles Politico, May 29, 2017. James McAuley, French President Macron Blasts Russian State-Owned Media as Propaganda The Washington Post, May 29, 2017. Andrew Osborn & Richard Balmforth, Macron Camp Bars Russian News Outlets, Angers Moscow Reuters, Apr. 27, 2017; Charles Bremmer, Websites Pump Out Fake News Minutes After Offshore Claims The Times, May 5, 2017. James McAuley, French President Macron Blasts Russian State-Owned Media as Propaganda The Washington Post, May 29, 2017. James McAuley, French President Macron Blasts Russian State-Owned Media as Propaganda The Washington Post, May 29, 2017; Committee Staff Discussion with French Foreign Ministry Officials, Nov. 2017. FRANCE The Russian government has sought to influence democracy in France through the use of cyberattacks, disinformation, and cultural and political influence. Despite relatively strong historical, political, and cultural ties to Russia compared to other European powers, France and its new president Emmanuel Macron—himself a target of cyber hacking and disinformation—are emerging as strong voices against Russian government interference and have played a leading role in Europe to resist Kremlin meddling. Barely three weeks after he was elected with nearly twice the votes of his far-right, pro-Kremlin challenger Marine Le Pen, French President Emmanuel Macron stood next to Russian President Vladimir Putin fora press conference at Versailles. 681 An exhibition inside the Palace was celebrating the 1717 visit to Paris of Russian tsar Peter the Great, a figure to whom Russia’s modern- day strongman is often compared. 682 But that day it was Macron, after being asked why certain Russian media outlets were not given access to his campaign, who projected a forceful stance. I will yield nothing on this. Nothing, madam. So let’s set things straight . . . Russia Today and Sputnik did not act as news outlets and journalists, but they acted as organs of influence, of propaganda, and of deceptive propaganda. It’s that simple.’’ 683 Reports disseminated by these outlets and on pro-Kremlin social media had variously decried Macron as a puppet of US. political and business leaders, alleged he held an offshore account in the Bahamas to evade taxes, and fueled rumors of an extramarital gay relationship, which Macron publicly denied. 684 For his part, Putin used the press conference to dismiss the notion of Russian government meddling in the French election, claiming Macron did not show any interest in discussing it and I even less.’’ 685 But investigations by government and non-government researchers have pointed to a myriad of Russian malign influence tools that were deployed in France prior to its 2017 election. The French response was multifaceted and quick, animated by a desire to avoid falling victim to meddling similar to what was seen in the Brexit referendum and US. presidential election in And if, as it appeared, the Kremlin’s goal was to undermine Macron’s candidacy, then the French response successfully stymied that goal. In recent years, the French government’s posture has become increasingly critical toward Russian aggression in Ukraine and Syria. Macrons predecessor Francois Hollande in 2014 stopped delivery of two French warships ordered by the Kremlin and, in 2016, suggested Russian complicity in war crimes in Aleppo—an allegation VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:06 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt PO 00000 Frm 00127 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 S:\FULL COMMITTEE\HEARING FILES\COMMITTEE PRINT 2018\HENRY\JAN. 9 REPORT FOREI-42327 with DISTILLER 122 Michael Stothard, et al., France Suspends Delivery Of Mistral Warship to Russia Finan- Download 0.63 Mb. Share with your friends:
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