The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has expressed concerns about potential interference in the ongoing German federal election campaign, citing the involvement of certain actors on social media. According to Sinan Selen, the vice-president of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Russia and pro-Russian influencers are likely to launch disinformation campaigns in the coming weeks.
Selen pointed out that the three main themes of these disinformation campaigns are the supposed inefficiency of Western systems, the perceived danger of migration, and the notion that Germany is on the verge of decline. He also warned of potential cyber operations aimed at undermining democratic decision-making processes, as well as the spread of false information and lies about individual candidates.
The official expressed hope that social media platforms would take a more active role in combating disinformation, emphasizing that they have a responsibility to promote diversity of opinion through their algorithms and technical measures.
Despite these concerns, Selen expressed confidence in the ability of the authorities to respond to these threats. “All the authorities involved in this matter, including ourselves as the domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for Information Security, and the Federal Criminal Police, have taken necessary precautions to quickly respond to these actions” he said, highlighting the importance of speed in addressing these types of threats.