Democratic Campaign Staffers Warned They Could Be Targets on Dating Apps

Campaign staffers working for Democratic candidates were warned this week that they could be targeted by bad actors through dating apps. According to CNN who broke the story, the staffers were told to “swipe carefully” because any personal information they share through profiles, photos, or even their messages could be hacked in order to get information on them or their campaigns.

"We're received reports that opposition groups may be trying to 'sting' or infiltrate Democratic campaigns or organizations through dating sites," the warning read.

The Democratic National Committee sent an email obtained by CNN about the warning, though it did not include specifics such as who could potentially hack these accounts or mention anyone who has already been targeted. Instead, the DNC said that they sent the email warning as part of an "ongoing effort to educate campaign staffers about where bad actors may exist online, how they may use social engineering tactics to gain access to information, and remind our campaign staffers to stay vigilant." 

Warnings about foreign interference and bad actors in the upcoming U.S. election is not new. This month, the Senate Intelligence Committee Report on tampering and foreign interference in the 2016 election was released, finding that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to help him win. There are also concerns that the Trump campaign has been influential in crippling the U.S. Postal Service as mail-in ballots become necessary for many voters to be able to cast their ballots during the pandemic.

There are reports that China, Iran and Russia are among countries that are attempting to interfere with the 2020 election, too.

The notice about dating apps being hacked is personal to individual campaign staffers, however. This kind of tampering would cross into their private lives and potentially expose them to public shaming as well as stolen information about campaign strategy. Anything they write or share – including over DMs, video calls, or texts - could be used against them or made public. 

"Notice when people are asking you more than a few questions about the election, the campaign, the candidate, and the opposition. Are they actually curious, or might they be pumping you for information? Think twice about saying things that could be taken out of context to the detriment of our collective efforts,” the DNC email said.

The email also addressed the potential for foreign interference over dating apps, too noting, "we can expect our adversaries both foreign and domestic to dial up the heat."