CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As this year’s election season gets underway, West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner is taking part in multiple events warning the public and public officials about the dangers posed by social media activity.
Warner spoke at the University of Charleston on Wednesday about how misinformation spreads online and the impact on how voters think heading to the polls.
Warner blamed much of the current misinformation problems on Russia, noting nationals are targeting people based on curated social media feeds and personal interests gauged from information shared by users.
“Social media is the cheapest way, and it’s not attributable. They’re not going to stand toe-to-toe with us on the battlefield with weapons, and they know they shouldn’t put money into an F-16 fighter to try to fly into U.S. airspace. They’re not going to penetrate us,” he said. “They can penetrate every single one of us using their cellphones and Facebook. They’ve weaponized the internet.”
Warner said while Russians did not change votes in the 2016 or 2018 elections, they have sent false information through various platforms affecting voters. He added the misinformation continues regarding COVID-19, blaming the United States for the disease’s spread.
“The best antidote for this is preparing people ahead of time so that they know that this is happening and this is coming,” he said. “When they get false information or something that doesn’ sound right on election day or the day after not to buy it.”
Warner has plans to give similar lectures at universities across the state as well as Harvard University, which he is scheduled to visit next month.