[elliekelly]

As near as I can tell conducting a “malign influence campaign” isn’t an actual criminal charge that can be brought against someone in the US. The people in that article were charged with illegally acting on behalf of a foreign government without registration. Americans continue to be free to conduct malign influence campaigns to their hearts’ content so long as they aren’t doing it on behalf of a foreign government. Between politics, lobbying, social media, and general advertising, we have a massive and thriving malign influence industry here in the land of the free.

[ifyoubuildit]

Given how willing people are to believe that [russia|china|insert other boogey man] are behind every bump in the night, that leaves you only one "person familiar with the matter" away from serious trouble.

E.g. Elliekelly's comment had all the classic earmarks of russian disinformation campaigns, said an unnamed expert familiar with the matter.