Covert Chinese accounts are pretending to be American supporters of former President Donald J. Trump online, promoting conspiracy theories and attacking President Biden ahead of the November election. This marks a shift in how Beijing seeks to influence American politics by targeting specific candidates and parties. These accounts mock Mr. Biden and spread false information about him, while promoting Mr. Trump’s slogan. Researchers have linked this activity to a network of accounts connected to the Chinese government known as Spamouflage, which has resurfaced under the guise of real Americans.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies identified 170 inauthentic pages and accounts on Facebook pushing anti-American messages, including attacks on Mr. Biden. Concerns have been raised within the American government about China’s expanding influence campaigns aimed at sowing doubts about U.S. leadership and extending Beijing’s influence. China’s recent efforts have been more successful in attracting genuine engagement and have become difficult for researchers to detect, suggesting that China may view a second Trump presidency as preferable to a second Biden term.
Online disinformation experts are growing increasingly anxious about the months leading up to the November election. Russia is using subtle influence tactics to spread its isolationist agenda in the U.S., while China’s efforts to advance its ideology in the West have struggled to gain traction. China’s recent campaigns have sought to exploit existing political divisions in America, focusing on issues like gay rights, immigration, and crime from a right-wing perspective.
The Chinese-linked accounts have attempted to influence conversations on social media by sharing false information and conspiracy theories. China’s Spamouflage network, previously focused on Chinese government propaganda, has shifted its attention to the United States. Despite efforts by companies like Meta to remove inauthentic accounts, China’s influence campaigns persist. The new accounts are trickier to detect as they try to build genuine followings and appear to be controlled by humans rather than automated bots.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies documented a coordinated group of Chinese accounts linked to a Facebook page with 3,000 followers called the War of Somethings. China’s efforts to influence American politics continue unabated, with the goal of undermining U.S. leadership and extending Beijing’s influence. Concerns remain about China’s expanding influence campaigns and their potential impact on the U.S. election in November. Researchers and government officials are closely monitoring these activities to counter disinformation and propaganda from foreign actors.
