» Russians ‘spread false info on MMR vaccine in UK’ » Warning over cyber bid to destabilise the country

RUSSIA’S state-sponsored cyber units are spreading false or misleading information on social media to destabilise the country, it is claimed.

The Kremlin has previously been accused of attempting to influence Brexit and Scottish independence.

Now, it is feared it is trying to create distrust over flu jabs and the MMR measles vaccine.

Chris Phillips, former National Counter Terrorism Security Office head, warned Russian cyber farms have become a threat to daily life.

He told the Mirror yesterday: “This is all about destabilisation by external forces. War is ever changing and becoming much more cyber-based.

“For generations, governments in the UK and the West have been extremely worried about destabilisation from external forces.

“The Russians have long felt that the UK, America and the European Union is a major threat to them so have developed major strategies in how to interfere with politics, policy, and now it seems the interference is impacting on vital decisions in our daily lives.”

He added: “The art of being able to exert this control over a society is arguably one of the most powerful weapons available in modern warfare.

“If the Russian government, or whoever, wishes to exert this kind of influence, is able to cause difficulty in decisions, in trusting the government of the day in that country, or otherwise trusted media and news organisations, then so much the better for them.”

Security services are so concerned over the threat to public health and security that Government departments have been ordered to monitor social media and flag up risky articles.

Health chiefs have had emergency meetings over the spread “fake news” over vaccination campaigns.

Public Health England and the Royal College of GPS have repeatedly expressed concern over the amount of made-up health news shared online and on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

The widespread circulation of false health news on social networks is not only misleading but also very dangerous.

We can reveal public health officials are investigating whether an outbreak of measles last week in Liverpool and Leeds was fuelled by parents not vaccinating children due to “false information read on the internet”.

Russian cyber armies, pumping out hundreds of articles from thousands of fake accounts, are also accused of trying to influence Britons to vote for Brexit last June, to harm the EU, and to convince Scotland to vote to leave the UK in the 2014 poll.

On a global scale, it is believed social media “bots” – automated accounts – were used to interfere with the US election, to get Donald Trump voted in as President, and to back Catalans in their breakaway from Spain.

Mr Phillips, one of the most experienced cyber-security consultants, said: “Social media is a huge issue for Government.

“Whether it is misinformation by other government states or individuals, the power has moved from the Government into the hands of individuals who may wish to cause us harm.” He went on: “The emergence of ‘fake news’ is happening every day. It spreads fear and distrust through lies and misinformation.

“Military chiefs have long prepared for this, but we are battling an ever-increasing threat with new methods evolving every day. Now, we’re seeing every aspect of our lives being affected. One thing is for certain, nothing is off limits.” Measles was nearly eliminated in Britain during the 1990s, but bad publicity meant MMR