The Active Measures Newsletter Podcast

Some look at the U.S. elections in 2016 and 2020 and see issues of partisan contention. Sean M. Wiswesser--a national security professional with 30 years of experience in intelligence, foreign service, and defense--sees an outright attack on American democracy by Russia, using an old playbook called 'active measures.' On this week's podcast, Wiswesser recounts Russia's tactics and the continuing danger to Western democracies. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also highlight recent Russian sabotage targeting UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer and former DNI Tulsi Gabbard's parting shot: American 'biolabs,' a favorite topic of Soviet- and, now, Russian propaganda.
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During the Cold War, President Eisenhower used to caution people that in confronting the Soviets, the United States needed to be careful that we didn’t destroy the very thing we sought to preserve. GW Law Visiting Associate Professor Katie Kedian makes a similar point about countering disinformation in American public life today. She emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of the legal frameworks surrounding disinformation, the potential role of social media regulation, and the impact of emerging technologies like AI, all set against the core-American desire to maintain First Amendment rights. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss reporting from France on Chinese efforts to target populations in the West and Africa as well as an Israeli firm offering influence-for-hire.
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In 2018, President Donald Trump signed into law legislation creating the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Yet former Congressmen Tim Roemer (D-IN) and Reid Ribble (R-WI) warn that President Trump has since gutted the very same agency despite rising threats from Russia, China, and Iran. At a time when America’s adversaries are penetrating our network infrastructure and using advanced technology to deepen our partisan divisions, one-third of CISA’s staff is gone, the agency lacks a permanent director, and its election security mandate is being stripped away. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also make quick mention of recent elections in Denmark and China’s efforts to undermine a more assertive Japan.
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As long as humanity has etched images into stone and told stories to others, we have honored and remembered heroes so that their names would live forever. In this Memorial Day edition of the Active Measures Newsletter Podcast, hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson read the names of U.S. psychological operations personnel who have given the final full measure since the Korean War and honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
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Anyone who has ever tried to study disinformation is well-familiar with the firehose of falsehoods—there’s just so much content on so many platforms and in so much media that it’s virtually impossible to track it all. But Martina Guzmán figured out a way to use AI to help sift through all of the audio content being generated on radio stations across the country. The result is Verdad.app, an incredible tool for researchers and a wake-up call about the sheer volume of malinformation in circulation on any given day. Hosts Jim Ludes and Mark Jacobson also discuss reporting on possible American participation in a campaign to destabilize the government of Mexico and additional reporting on a possible Israeli campaign to influence local French elections.
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