NPR

Election Strife, Protest And Noise: In 2017, Russia Cranked Up The Volume

"Active measures," as intelligence pros call them, have been around for centuries, and 2017 made clear that they are — and will remain — a part of everyday life online.
A congressional staff member displays images of social media posts during a House Intelligence Committee hearing in November about Russian use of social media.

International influence campaigns have been around for centuries, but 2017 made clear how much they remain a part of daily life.

Through court documents, congressional testimony, press reports and other sources, Americans learned not only about the extent of the "active measures" — as they're known to intelligence officers — that Russia waged against the U.S. through the presidential election.

They also learned to expect high-tech agitation as part of their normal diet of information online: about the Alabama special election. About the NFL players' protests. About the the violent protests in Charlottesville, Va.

With each of those stories and more, Russian social media accounts

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