welt.de
Hamburg Warns of Foreign Interference in Upcoming Elections
Hamburg's Office for the Protection of the Constitution warned against foreign states' influence on the upcoming Bundestag and Bürgerschafts elections, citing the use of disinformation, deepfakes, and ghostwriting by groups like 'APT 28' and 'Ghostwriter' to manipulate public opinion and undermine democratic processes.
- What specific actions are foreign actors taking to influence the upcoming German elections?
- The Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution warned of foreign states' political influence on upcoming elections. Foreign intelligence services use covert methods, including false pretenses, to influence decision-makers and public opinion, potentially undermining democratic processes.
- How are advanced technologies like deepfakes and disinformation campaigns being used to undermine democratic processes?
- This warning highlights the concerning use of disinformation, deepfakes, and ghostwriting to manipulate political discourse. Russian cyber groups like 'APT 28' and 'Ghostwriter' are cited as having previously engaged in such activities around elections, aiming to erode public trust and spread misinformation via social media.
- What long-term consequences could result from the erosion of public trust in democratic institutions due to foreign interference?
- The long-term impact could be a decrease in public trust in democratic institutions and processes. The potential for deepfakes to discredit candidates and manipulate public opinion presents a significant challenge, necessitating increased media literacy and critical evaluation of information sources.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing strongly emphasizes the threat of foreign interference, creating a sense of urgency and alarm. The headline and opening sentences immediately establish this tone, potentially influencing the reader's perception of the risk involved. The article's structure prioritizes the warnings of the Verfassungsschutz, presenting them as undisputed fact without presenting counterarguments or alternative perspectives.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and factual, relying on quotes from the Verfassungsschutz chief. However, terms such as "illegitimate influence activities" and "besorgniserregende Techniken" (worrying techniques) carry negative connotations, potentially influencing the reader's perception. More neutral terms could be used, such as "unconventional political influence" and "concerning techniques".
Bias by Omission
The provided text focuses heavily on the warnings issued by the Verfassungsschutz regarding foreign interference in the upcoming elections. While it mentions the use of Deepfakes and disinformation, it lacks specific examples of these techniques being used, and doesn't detail the extent or impact of these threats. It also doesn't offer analysis of potential vulnerabilities in election security systems. The omission of specific examples and a broader analysis of potential threats limits the reader's ability to fully understand the scope and nature of the problem.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a dichotomy between legitimate and illegitimate influence activities, without exploring the nuances of the grey areas in between. For example, while lobbying is a legitimate activity, it can be manipulated for illegitimate influence. This oversimplification could mislead the reader into believing that all influence activities are easily categorized as either good or bad.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the threat of foreign interference in German elections through disinformation, deepfakes, and other tactics. This undermines democratic processes, erodes public trust in institutions, and weakens the rule of law, directly impacting SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.