{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/ai-disinformation-videos-target-us-senate-candidates","slug":"ai-disinformation-videos-target-us-senate-candidates","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/ai-disinformation-videos-target-us-senate-candidates","title":"AI disinformation videos target US Senate candidates","subtitle":"Videos linked to Russia misuse real people's images to spread false claims about two Democrats.","excerpt":"Social media videos believed to be AI-generated and linked to Russia are targeting two Democratic US Senate candidates. The videos misuse real people's names and photographs to spread disinformation as midterm elections approach.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-10-28T01:05:27.331Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-10-28T00:19:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-28T01:05:27.331Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":48,"critic":95,"hype":15,"notes":{"trust":"Trust 48 – named sources and date provided, but only one original report and no independent outlets.","critic":"Critic 95 – explains relevance, quotes affected parties, separates facts, gives specifics and next steps.","hype":"Hype 15 – measured language, no sensationalism, headline matches article content."}},"tags":["#Disinformation","#AI","#Elections","#Russia","#SenateCandidates","#Midterms"],"entities":["Sherrod Brown","James Talarico","Jon Husted","Ken Paxton","Haya Akbik","JT Ennis"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Social media videos, potentially created with artificial intelligence and linked to Russia, are being used to spread disinformation about two Democratic Senate candidates.","The videos misuse real individuals' names and photographs to create false narratives.","Targets include Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and Texas candidate James Talarico.","The platform X has removed some of the original posts, but copies remain online."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Social media videos, believed to be produced with artificial intelligence and linked to Russia, are misusing real people's names and photographs to spread disinformation about two Democratic Senate candidates. The videos are circulating in the final stretch of midterm voting. One target is Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, who is running against Republican Jon Husted. Another is Texas candidate James Talarico, who is running against Republican Ken Paxton."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"One video targeting Brown includes a picture of Haya Akbik, who interned for him. Akbik told The Associated Press that any claims attributed to her in the clip are false and harmful to her reputation and the senator. Experts see similarities to Russian clips from 2024 that targeted Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, suggesting the same network may be involved. The Russian Embassy in Washington has previously denied interfering in US elections."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The video targeting Talarico is described as a direct-to-camera confessional from a former student. Talarico's spokesperson stated that opponents are using AI deepfakes and foreign bots to slander him because they cannot defeat him with truth. Experts, including Dartmouth College professor Hany Farid, have analysed the videos and believe they were likely generated or manipulated using AI. The platform X has taken down initial posts and suspended users for violating rules, but copies of the videos continue to circulate online."},{"type":"heading","text":"Disagreement on video authenticity"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Washington Top News reported that one video targeting Brown appears to include some AI manipulation, while the other, targeting Talarico, is likely generated by AI. Hany Farid, a Dartmouth College professor, stated his analyses showed the videos targeting Brown and Talarico were likely either generated or manipulated using AI. Farid described the video targeting Brown as a \"fairly low-tech fake.\""},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mention the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's response or lack thereof to requests for comment on the videos."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"The Washington Post","url":"https://washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/10/27/midterm-election-disinformation-russia-talarico-brown/bcafa960-d264-11f1-9931-2a41b76fc976_story.html","headline":"Disinformation videos, likely from Russia, are exploiting real people to malign Senate candidates","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-10-28T00:19:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"WBAL","url":"https://wbal.com/disinformation-videos-likely-from-russia-are-exploiting-real-people-to-malign-senate-candidates","headline":"Disinformation videos, likely from Russia, are exploiting real 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