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Racist, misogynist online disinformation is already being used against Kamala Harris' campaign

Experts in online disinformation say that it goes beyond trolling — it's part of an effort to undermine women's participation in democracy.

Jankowicz pointed out that many of the altered images and memes being shared about Harris are not AI generated, but instead “cheap fakes” — in other words, content that is created with easy-to-access software or other simple means that also makes it more difficult to detect sometimes. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, said on Monday on social media and during a CNN interview that Harris was tapped as vice president through DEI — which stands for “diversity, equity and inclusion” but has been coopted by detractors as a racist message about a person’s qualifications for a job. The potential impact of gendered disinformation includes political violence, said Joanna Lydgate, cofounder and CEO of States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for advancing free, fair and secure elections.

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