Click Here 176. Spamouflage: Is China’s best known disinformation gang taking new aim at the US?
Oct 22, 2024
Darren Linville, a Professor at Clemson University and co-founder of the Media Forensics Lab, discusses China's unique disinformation tactics. He delves into how the Chinese strategy differs from Russia's, focusing on the Spamouflage group’s influence on U.S. political discourse, particularly around Senator Marco Rubio. Linville explains the evolution of these tactics from previous elections, the implications for future campaigns, and the role of automated accounts in shaping public opinion. His insights reveal a complex landscape of misinformation that poses challenges for democracies.
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Rubio Election Posts Anecdote
- On Election Day 2022, thousands of low-engagement posts supporting Marco Rubio suddenly appeared then stopped abruptly.
- Researchers traced these to Chinese disinformation efforts, viewing the race as a testing ground rather than a genuine influence attempt.
China's Subtle Flooding Tactics
- China uses "spamouflage" flooding techniques to drown out unwanted conversations on social media.
- This approach subtly changes narratives by overwhelming hashtags with positive content unrelated to criticism.
Spamouflage China's Operations
- The Ministry of Public Security operates the Spamouflage unit from Beijing in shifts, creating and hijacking accounts.
- They work mainly business hours, posting bursts of content to strategically influence social media conversations.