Protected Voices 

The FBI’s Protected Voices initiative provides tools and resources to political campaigns, companies, and individuals to protect against online foreign influence operations, cyber threats, and federal election crimes.

Protected Voices resources include information and guidance from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). While threats to our elections exist, our efforts to defend our democracy remain unwavering. Our success is achieved in large part through the support and collaboration of our partners. Threats to election integrity occur in a variety of forms.

The Threat 

Example tactics: 

• Traditional intelligence tradecraft: Targeting U.S. officials and other U.S. persons to gather information or influence persons and policymaking decisions
  
  
• Cyberattacks against political campaigns and government infrastructure: Including foreign adversaries hacking and leaking sensitive information from computers, databases, networks, phones, and emails
  
  
• Federal election criminal activity: Efforts to suppress voting or secret funding to help or harm a person or cause: Tactics include political advertising from foreign groups pretending to be U.S. citizens, lobbying by unregistered foreign agents, illegal campaign contributions from foreign adversaries, and spreading of disinformation about election dates or times
  
  
• Influence campaigns on social media platforms that confuse, trick, or upset the public: Most widely reported these days are attempts by adversaries—hoping to reach a wide swath of Americans covertly from outside the United States—to use false personas and fabricated stories on social media platforms to discredit U.S. individuals and institutions; for example, a foreign group may purposefully spread false or inconsistent information about an existing social issue to provoke all sides and encourage conflict

The Defense 

Protect your voice. Report suspicious activity at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov or to your local FBI field office.

Refresh your knowledge of cyber hygiene and social media literacy.

Are you an election official or a campaign staff member? Find our resources for campaign members and staff.

Do you work in critical infrastructure sectors? Join InfraGard, an FBI-sponsored public-private partnership that offers the latest intelligence bulletins on cyber and other threats. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is this information just for campaigns?

The full Protected Voices library of resources and information is geared toward campaigns, but it is good information for all members of the public. It is always important to practice good cyber hygiene or take basic steps to protect yourself.  

Who do I contact if I believe I am a victim of a cyber attack or intrusion or other criminal or foreign malign influence activity?

Report suspicious activity to the FBI at:

• 1-800-CALL-FBI
• tips.fbi.gov
• or your local FBI field office

Will the FBI contact me if they think I have been a victim of a cyber attack or intrusion, or other criminal or malign foreign influence activity?  

When a victim is identified, we refer to our victim notification process and conduct an assessment in accordance with the Attorney General's Guidelines for Domestic FBI Operations. Notification is made directly to the “individual, organization, or corporation that is the owner/operator of the computer at the point of the compromise or intrusion.” 

Why is the initiative called Protected Voices? 

The Protected Voices initiative is so named to emphasize our shared roles in protecting the voice of the American people as they participate in the electoral process. The FBI and our law enforcement partners continue to monitor and defend against this threat, but we rely on information shared by victims or witnesses of crimes and attacks. 

Where can I learn more? 

• View the full library of Protected Voices videos.
• Learn more about the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force.
• Learn more about federal election crimes.