{"id":2329836,"date":"2024-08-23T07:47:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T11:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cisa-censors-work-with-private-groups-to-target-election-misinfo\/"},"modified":"2024-08-23T07:56:34","modified_gmt":"2024-08-23T11:56:34","slug":"cisa-censors-work-with-private-groups-to-target-election-misinfo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cisa-censors-work-with-private-groups-to-target-election-misinfo\/","title":{"rendered":"CISA Censors Work With Private Groups To Target Election &#8216;Misinfo&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcisa-censors-work-with-private-groups-to-target-election-misinfo%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2329836&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>&#8220;`html<\/p>\n<p>class=&#8221;content&#8221;><\/p>\n<p>The SCC uses a &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unified<\/a> government and private sector approach,&rdquo; working with a Government Coordinating\u2063 Council (GCC) for &ldquo;information-sharing and risk mitigation&rdquo; before the election, according\u200d to \u2062a 2024 \u200bupdate on the councils&rsquo; \u200dwork \u200bhosted by CISA online.<\/p>\n<p>The document warns of &ldquo;risks&rdquo; from &ldquo;false or misleading information about election administration.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>CISA noted so-called\u2063 &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">misinformation<\/a> campaigns&rdquo; in 2022, \u2062and claimed they &ldquo;exacerbated&rdquo; a &ldquo;threat environment for targeted violence.&rdquo; \u2064A 2024 &ldquo;Homeland Threat Assessment&rdquo; by CISA&rsquo;s parent agency warned that such unapproved speech would\u2063 carry the &ldquo;potential for violence or threats directed at government officials, voters, and elections-related personnel and infrastructure.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The SCC and GCC have been telling &ldquo;election stakeholders&rdquo; to do things like \u200bcreate websites to &ldquo;provide accurate information&rdquo; and &ldquo;dispel\u2063 false information,&rdquo; according to CISA&rsquo;s 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">update<\/a>, which noted these efforts are &ldquo;expected to expand.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The SCC participates in \u200bsecurity <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">briefings<\/a> with CISA, the FBI, election officials,\u2062 and &ldquo;private sector owners\u200c and operators.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>&lsquo;Mis-, Dis-, and Malinformation&rsquo;<\/h2>\n<p>The\u2064 SCC\u200d and GCC formed a &ldquo;Joint Mis\/Disinformation Working Group,&rdquo; which created a document called &ldquo;Mis-, Dis-, and Malinformation: Planning and Incident Response Guide\u2062 for Election Officials.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CISA, which partnered with\u2063 outside\u200b groups to \u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/new-report-details-how-federal-government-partnered-universities-censor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">censor<\/a> speech before the \u200b2020 election, hosts\u2063 the document\u2064 online. The SCC and GCC created the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">document<\/a> to help &ldquo;state, local,\u200b tribal, and\u2064 territorial election officials&rdquo; with a &ldquo;larger mis-, dis-, and malinformation (MDM)&rdquo; strategy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CISA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">defines<\/a> &ldquo;misinformation&rdquo; as information that is false but not deliberately misleading, and &ldquo;disinformation&rdquo; as &ldquo;deliberately created to mislead [or] harm.&rdquo; Perhaps most alarmingly, CISA labels &ldquo;malinformation&rdquo; as &ldquo;based on fact, but used out of context to mislead, harm, or manipulate.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The document includes a\u200d &ldquo;checklist&rdquo; to guide local election officials in responding to information of\u2064 which the government disapproves.\u2062 It recommends officials take\u200c steps like &ldquo;understand reporting \u200dmechanisms \u200bfor flagging MDM on social media&rdquo; and &ldquo;designate an individual to oversee the MDM response.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The \u2063SCC and \u200cGCC \u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claim<\/a> in the document that supposed &ldquo;mis-, dis-, and malinformation&rdquo; comes from\u2063 not just &ldquo;foreign actors&rdquo; but also\u2063 &ldquo;domestic sources aiming to sow divisions and\u200b reduce national cohesion.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;False narratives erode trust and pose a threat to democratic \u200ctransitions,&rdquo; \u200dthe document reads.<\/p>\n<p>The document <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">includes<\/a> a\u2063 chart with categories of &ldquo;mis-, dis-, and malinformation,&rdquo; one of which \u2064is \u2062the &ldquo;delegitimization of election results.&rdquo; It defines \u2064this as &ldquo;narratives or content that delegitimizes election results or sows \u2062distrust in the integrity of the process based on false or misleading claims.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The chart features examples of alleged election &ldquo;rumor&rdquo; and official talking points of \u2062&ldquo;reality.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>A line at the bottom of the page notes the categories were &ldquo;adapted from the\u2063 Election Integrity Project&rsquo;s (EIP) final report on misinformation and the 2020 election.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The House\u200c Judiciary Committee found last \u2063year that \u2062CISA used the\u2064 EIP before the 2020 election to &ldquo;launder its <a href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/new-report-details-how-federal-government-partnered-universities-censor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">censorship<\/a> activities&rdquo; to bypass the\u2063 First Amendment and public criticism. The EIP made &ldquo;misinformation&rdquo; reports available to &ldquo;select\u200b parties,&rdquo; including the federal government, universities, and Big Tech \u200bcompanies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The EIP targeted true information, jokes, and political opinions of Americans \u2062across the political spectrum, but especially conservatives,&rdquo; according to a press <a href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/new-report-details-how-federal-government-partnered-universities-censor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">release<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The groups <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/07\/government-censorship-op-targeted-the-federalists-mollie-hemingway-sean-davis-during-2020-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">targeted<\/a> The Federalist&rsquo;s Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway and CEO Sean Davis in 2020 along with former President Donald Trump and other conservative posters.<\/p>\n<h2>The Players<\/h2>\n<p>Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/archive\/news\/2017\/01\/06\/statement-secretary-johnson-designation-election-infrastructure-critical\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">designated<\/a> \u2063election infrastructure as a &ldquo;critical infrastructure subsector&rdquo; in 2017 &mdash; \u2064including it in the &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/topics\/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience\/national-infrastructure-protection-plan-and-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Infrastructure \u200bProtection Plan<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Johnson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/archive\/news\/2017\/01\/06\/statement-secretary-johnson-designation-election-infrastructure-critical\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">denied<\/a> the move was a &ldquo;federal takeover,\u2064 regulation, oversight or \u2063intrusion&rdquo; by DHS, which contains CISA.&nbsp;Instead, he \u2063insisted it would simply &ldquo;make[] it easier for the federal government to have full and frank discussions with key stakeholders.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The GCC was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">founded<\/a> that year. The SCC\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">launched<\/a> \u2064in\u2063 2018, bringing \u2063together private \u2064firms that offer election &ldquo;services  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>A federal agency with a record of online censorship is working with private groups to stop so-called &ldquo;misinformation&rdquo; ahead of November&rsquo;s presidential election.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Department of Homeland Security&rsquo;s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) &ndash; the federal government&rsquo;s hub for online <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/05\/why-cisas-censorship-and-election-interference-work-is-the-most-insidious-attack-on-american-democracy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">censorship<\/a> &mdash; has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">working<\/a> with private groups since 2018 in an initiative dubbed the Election Infrastructure Subsector Coordinating Council (SCC), and boasts that its &ldquo;collaboration&rdquo; with &ldquo;private sector partners is unprecedented.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;CISA coordinates support for these election infrastructure partners across the federal government, with our state and local partners, and with the private sector to help them reduce cyber, physical, and operational security risks to election infrastructure,&rdquo; a CISA representative said to The Federalist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The SCC uses a &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unified<\/a> government and private sector approach,&rdquo; working with a Government Coordinating Council (GCC) for &ldquo;information-sharing and risk mitigation&rdquo; before the election, according to a 2024 update on the councils&rsquo; work hosted by CISA online.<\/p>\n<p>The document warns of &ldquo;risks&rdquo; from &ldquo;false or misleading information about election administration.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>CISA noted so-called &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">misinformation<\/a> campaigns&rdquo; in 2022, and claimed they &ldquo;exacerbated&rdquo; a &ldquo;threat environment for targeted violence.&rdquo; A 2024 &ldquo;Homeland Threat Assessment&rdquo; by CISA&rsquo;s parent agency warned that such unapproved speech would carry the &ldquo;potential for violence or threats directed at government officials, voters, and elections-related personnel and infrastructure.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The SCC and GCC have been telling &ldquo;election stakeholders&rdquo; to do things like create websites to &ldquo;provide accurate information&rdquo; and &ldquo;dispel false information,&rdquo; according to CISA&rsquo;s 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">update<\/a>, which noted these efforts are &ldquo;expected to expand.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The SCC participates in security <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">briefings<\/a> with CISA, the FBI, election officials, and &ldquo;private sector owners and operators.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>&lsquo;Mis-, Dis-, and Malinformation&rsquo;<\/h2>\n<p>The SCC and GCC formed a &ldquo;Joint Mis\/Disinformation Working Group,&rdquo; which created a document called &ldquo;Mis-, Dis-, and Malinformation: Planning and Incident Response Guide for Election Officials.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CISA, which partnered with outside groups to <a href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/new-report-details-how-federal-government-partnered-universities-censor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">censor<\/a> speech before the 2020 election, hosts the document online. The SCC and GCC created the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">document<\/a> to help &ldquo;state, local, tribal, and territorial election officials&rdquo; with a &ldquo;larger mis-, dis-, and malinformation (MDM)&rdquo; strategy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CISA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">defines<\/a> &ldquo;misinformation&rdquo; as information that is false but not deliberately misleading, and &ldquo;disinformation&rdquo; as &ldquo;deliberately created to mislead [or] harm.&rdquo; Perhaps most alarmingly, CISA labels &ldquo;malinformation&rdquo; as &ldquo;based on fact, but used out of context to mislead, harm, or manipulate.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The document includes a &ldquo;checklist&rdquo; to guide local election officials in responding to information of which the government disapproves. It recommends officials take steps like &ldquo;understand reporting mechanisms for flagging MDM on social media&rdquo; and &ldquo;designate an individual to oversee the MDM response.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The SCC and GCC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claim<\/a> in the document that supposed &ldquo;mis-, dis-, and malinformation&rdquo; comes from not just &ldquo;foreign actors&rdquo; but also &ldquo;domestic sources aiming to sow divisions and reduce national cohesion.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;False narratives erode trust and pose a threat to democratic transitions,&rdquo; the document reads.<\/p>\n<p>The document <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/mdm-incident-response-guide_508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">includes<\/a> a chart with categories of &ldquo;mis-, dis-, and malinformation,&rdquo; one of which is the &ldquo;delegitimization of election results.&rdquo; It defines this as &ldquo;narratives or content that delegitimizes election results or sows distrust in the integrity of the process based on false or misleading claims.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The chart features examples of alleged election &ldquo;rumor&rdquo; and official talking points of &ldquo;reality.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>A line at the bottom of the page notes the categories were &ldquo;adapted from the Election Integrity Project&rsquo;s (EIP) final report on misinformation and the 2020 election.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The House Judiciary Committee found last year that CISA used the EIP before the 2020 election to &ldquo;launder its <a href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/new-report-details-how-federal-government-partnered-universities-censor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">censorship<\/a> activities&rdquo; to bypass the First Amendment and public criticism. The EIP made &ldquo;misinformation&rdquo; reports available to &ldquo;select parties,&rdquo; including the federal government, universities, and Big Tech companies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The EIP targeted true information, jokes, and political opinions of Americans across the political spectrum, but especially conservatives,&rdquo; according to a press <a href=\"https:\/\/judiciary.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/new-report-details-how-federal-government-partnered-universities-censor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">release<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The groups <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/07\/government-censorship-op-targeted-the-federalists-mollie-hemingway-sean-davis-during-2020-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">targeted<\/a> The Federalist&rsquo;s Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway and CEO Sean Davis in 2020 along with former President Donald Trump and other conservative posters.<\/p>\n<h2>The Players<\/h2>\n<p>Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/archive\/news\/2017\/01\/06\/statement-secretary-johnson-designation-election-infrastructure-critical\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">designated<\/a> election infrastructure as a &ldquo;critical infrastructure subsector&rdquo; in 2017 &mdash; including it in the &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/topics\/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience\/national-infrastructure-protection-plan-and-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Infrastructure Protection Plan<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Johnson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/archive\/news\/2017\/01\/06\/statement-secretary-johnson-designation-election-infrastructure-critical\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">denied<\/a> the move was a &ldquo;federal takeover, regulation, oversight or intrusion&rdquo; by DHS, which contains CISA.&nbsp;Instead, he insisted it would simply &ldquo;make[] it easier for the federal government to have full and frank discussions with key stakeholders.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The GCC was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">founded<\/a> that year. The SCC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-08\/Election%20Infrastructure%20Subsector-Specific%20Plan_2024%20Status%20Update.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">launched<\/a> in 2018, bringing together private firms that offer election &ldquo;services, systems, products or technology&rdquo; to state or local governments. The group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/gov-facilities-EIS-scc-charter-2020-508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">works<\/a> with the GCC as a &ldquo;liaison&rdquo; between election groups and government agencies like DHS.<\/p>\n<p>Twenty-five &ldquo;organizing member&rdquo; groups first joined the group, according to its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/gov-facilities-EIS-scc-charter-2020-508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">charter<\/a>. It is unclear which groups are still part of the council.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A copy of the charter that was last updated in 2020 lists the Electronic Registration Information Center as a member. ERIC was founded by David Becker &mdash; director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, which used close to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/center-for-election-innovation-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$70 million<\/a> in &ldquo;Zuckbucks&rdquo; from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to influence election administration and promote Democrat-backed voting practices ahead of the 2020 election.<\/p>\n<p>Becker <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/03\/15\/democrat-activist-to-resign-from-voter-roll-operation-after-pressure-from-gop-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">founded<\/a> ERIC in 2012 as a multi-state voter roll &ldquo;maintenance&rdquo; platform, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-is-michigan-working-with-election-meddler-david-becker\/\" title=\"Why Is Michigan Working With Election Meddler David Becker?\">states submit election data supposedly<\/a> to help remove dead and duplicate voters. But ERIC shares that data with CEIR, so the groups can determine targets for registration efforts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Federalist asked Becker about his group&rsquo;s work with the SCC and CISA, but did not receive comment in time for publication.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems are also listed as organizing&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/gov-facilities-EIS-scc-charter-2020-508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">members<\/a>. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/disgraced-fbi-agent-peter-strzok-appears-on-maddow-to-talk-trash-on-durham-investigation\/\" title=\"Disgraced FBI Agent Peter Strzok Appears On Maddow To Talk Trash On Durham Investigation\">federal grand jury&#038;nbsp<\/a>;<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/09\/executives-of-voting-machine-firm-suing-to-silence-election-reporting-indicted-for-bribery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">indicted<\/a>&nbsp;Smartmatic executives, including the company&rsquo;s president, on Aug. 8 for an alleged bribery and money laundering scheme.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Smartmatic&rsquo;s Director of Certification&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartmatic.com\/us\/team-member\/edwin-smith\/?__cf_chl_f_tk=iQEgX3YWMPYYUAys6GO3G0gsRv.xmOgbiQKshrO_DQw-1724187379-0.0.1.1-6250\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Edwin Smith<\/a>&nbsp;became&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartmatic.com\/us\/media\/ed-smith-to-chair-elections-infrastructure-sector-coordinating-council\/?__cf_chl_f_tk=jAEXOxp1.LZPDQdum1v4NcLnqDYRfFOcvhevLn5.BVI-1724173026-0.0.1.1-5481\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chair<\/a> of the SCC in 2022, at which point the company said the council had 43&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartmatic.com\/us\/media\/ed-smith-to-chair-elections-infrastructure-sector-coordinating-council\/?__cf_chl_f_tk=jAEXOxp1.LZPDQdum1v4NcLnqDYRfFOcvhevLn5.BVI-1724173026-0.0.1.1-5481\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">members<\/a>&nbsp;from a &ldquo;diverse set of companies.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Both companies have sued conservative media over their coverage of the 2020 election. Billionaire LinkedIn co-founder and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/person\/reid-hoffman-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">top<\/a>&nbsp;Democrat donor Reid Hoffman has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/07\/09\/dem-donor-who-funded-election-disinfo-lawfare-is-backing-lawsuit-to-silence-election-journalism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bankrolled<\/a>&nbsp;some of that lawfare.<\/p>\n<h2>The 2020 Election<\/h2>\n<p>In the 2020 election, the Center for Tech and Civic Life used at least <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/01\/sources-missouri-ag-stopped-working-on-investigation-into-zuckbucks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$328 million<\/a> in &ldquo;Zuckbucks&rdquo; to meddle in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wisconsin-supreme-court-drops-hammer-on-2020-election-shenanigans-ballot-drop-boxes-are-illegal-under-wisconsin-law\/\" title=\"Wisconsin Supreme Court Drops Hammer On 2020 Election Shenanigans: \u2018Ballot Drop Boxes Are Illegal\u2019 Under Wisconsin Law\">local election processes<\/a> and boost Democratic turnout. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-mccarthy-over-70-democrat-seats-vulnerable-after-va-n-j\/\" title=\"Rep. McCarthy: Over 70 Democrat seats vulnerable after Va., N.J.\">group recently announced<\/a> another round of <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/02\/here-we-go-again-zuckbucks-group-announces-plans-to-dump-more-cash-into-election-offices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">grants<\/a> ahead of November&rsquo;s presidential election, and for guidance on how offices can use this funding, CTCL <a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/06871ce9876c\/new-campaign-seeks-federal-funding-for-secure-election-infrastructure-from-congress-10413853\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">referred<\/a> to CISA&rsquo;s 2020 &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/election_infrastructure_subsector_specific_plan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Election Infrastructure Subsector Specific Plan<\/a>.&rdquo; The document reveals CISA coordinated with agencies and private groups through the SCC and GCC ahead of the 2020 election to combat &ldquo;misinformation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Members of the SCC and GCC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/election_infrastructure_subsector_specific_plan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">promoted<\/a> &ldquo;cybersecurity training&rdquo; from CTCL to the &ldquo;broader subsector&rdquo; ahead of the 2020 presidential election, according to the document. <\/p>\n<p>The Federalist previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/15\/zuckbucks-group-teaches-election-offices-how-to-shut-down-speech-and-influence-election-laws\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> the group offers online training telling election administrators how to shut down speech deemed &ldquo;misinformation&rdquo; and sway elected officials.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Logan Washburn is a staff writer covering election integrity. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo&#8217;s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is originally from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A federal agency known for its history of online censorship is collaborating with private organizations to combat what it terms &#8220;misinformation&#8221; in anticipation of the upcoming presidential election in November. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has been partnering with private entities since 2018 through a program called the Election Infrastructure Subsector Coordinating Council (SCC). CISA claims that its collaboration with these private sector partners is unprecedented. A representative from CISA stated to The Federalist that they coordinate support for election infrastructure stakeholders across various levels of government and the private sector to mitigate cyber, physical, and operational security risks.<\/p>\n<p>The SCC employs a combined approach involving both government and private sectors, working alongside a Government Coordinating Council (GCC) for information sharing and risk management prior to elections. According to an update on their activities posted by CISA in 2024, there are concerns about &#8220;risks&#8221; stemming from &#8220;false or misleading information regarding election administration.&#8221; In 2022, CISA highlighted misinformation campaigns as exacerbating threats related to targeted violence. Their 2024 Homeland Threat Assessment warned that unapproved speech could lead to potential violence or threats against government officials, voters, and those involved in elections.<\/p>\n<p>The SCC and GCC have advised &#8220;election stakeholders&#8221; on creating websites aimed at providing accurate information while countering false narratives. These efforts are expected to grow according to CISA&#8217;s latest update. The councils also participate in security briefings involving various agencies including the FBI.<\/p>\n<p>To address misinformation issues specifically, the SCC and GCC established a Joint Mis\/Disinformation Working Group which produced a guide titled \u201cMis-, Dis-, and Malinformation: Planning and Incident Response Guide for Election Officials.\u201d This document aims at assisting state, local, tribal, and territorial election officials with strategies concerning misinformation.<\/p>\n<p>CISA categorizes \u201cmisinformation\u201d as false information not intended to mislead; \u201cdisinformation\u201d as intentionally misleading content; while \u201cmalinformation\u201d refers to factual information presented out of context with harmful intent. The guide includes checklists for local officials on how to respond when encountering disapproved content online.<\/p>\n<p>The councils assert that such misinformation can originate from both foreign entities as well as domestic sources seeking division within society. They argue that false narratives undermine trust in democratic processes.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, there\u2019s mention of categories like delegitimization of election results within their documentation\u2014defined as narratives undermining confidence in electoral integrity based on misleading claims\u2014and examples contrasting alleged rumors against official statements were provided.<\/p>\n<p>Notably mentioned is how previous collaborations between CISA and external groups have raised concerns about censorship practices surrounding free speech rights before past elections. <\/p>\n<p>Former Secretary Jeh Johnson had previously classified election infrastructure as critical under national protection plans without intending federal oversight or intrusion but rather facilitating discussions among key stakeholders when he established these initiatives back in 2017-2018 alongside founding groups like GCC &amp; SCC which included various service providers linked directly with state governments regarding electoral processes.<\/p>\n<p>In summary: A federal agency known for censoring online content is actively collaborating with private organizations ahead of November&#8217;s presidential elections under an initiative aimed at combating perceived misinformation while promoting cybersecurity measures among electoral bodies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":2329837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/CISA-Abuse-scaled.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6371,33087,19536,39055,39056],"class_list":["post-2329836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-censorship","tag-cisa","tag-cybersecurity","tag-election-misinformation","tag-private-groups"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/CISA-Abuse-scaled.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2329836"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329836\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2329837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2329836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2329836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2329836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}