Inside America's next information war

"Earlier this year, as North Korea began sending more soldiers to Russia to assist in its war against Ukraine, Maggie Feldman-Piltch turned to a group of adult content creators for their help. The creators had noticed an uptick in subscribers from the DPRK who suddenly had access to a less restrictive internet environment than they were used to back home, including adult content recommended by their Russian counterparts."

"Feldman-Piltch requested that the creators do things such as open a refrigerator on camera or casually mention needing to go to a doctor's appointment while filming. A short time later, a North Korean soldier was interviewed by Ukrainian media, where he talked about wanting to experience ordinary activities like going to a grocery store and pushing a shopping cart. Several of the creators recognized the soldier's voice as one of their clients. It was mission success."

"The DPRK is deemed one of the most restrictive and oppressive nations on the planet. "This is a group of people who probably haven't seen a full-size refrigerator, let alone one filled with food," Feldman-Piltch said. Black Iceberg Holdings, her company that helped steer this narrative effort, has been operating in stealth for more than a year. Nextgov/FCW is the first to report its existence."

Black Iceberg Holdings coordinated a covert influence operation that enlisted adult-content creators to reach North Korean soldiers who gained less-restricted internet access while in Russia. Creators deliberately showcased mundane civilian details — opening refrigerators, mentioning doctor's appointments — to normalize everyday experiences. A North Korean soldier later described wanting to go grocery shopping in a media interview; several creators identified his voice as one of their subscribers, indicating the campaign's effect. The DPRK remains among the most restrictive nations. Influence operations have long existed, and modern consumer electronics and social media have made them more covert and scalable, with intelligence noting Russian exploitation of those tools.

Read at Nextgov.com