New York-based network tracking company Graphika’s latest research shows that the Chinese Communist Party’s social media influence operations are impersonating American voters, disparaging American politicians, and spreading divisive messages ahead of the U.S. presidential election on November 5.
According to Reuters on Tuesday, spreading misinformation and sowing division is a well-known part of the Chinese government’s efforts to influence the U.S. election. Graphika analysts refer to these deceptive activities as “Spamouflage” or “Dragonbridge,” which blend spam and targeted propaganda to push out onto the internet.
Graphika’s Chief Intelligence Officer Jack Stubbs stated, “The main conclusion of this report is that ‘Spamouflage’ has become more aggressive in infiltrating and influencing American political discourse.”
He added, “This is significant because it shows that China’s influence operations against the U.S. are evolving to engage in more sophisticated deceptive behavior, directly targeting these fundamental and highly sensitive fault lines in society.”
The report reveals that “Spamouflage” has been active since 2017 and has intensified as the election approaches this year. It utilizes thousands of accounts on over fifty websites, forums, and social media platforms to spread false information.
According to the Associated Press on Tuesday, experts noted that a user named Harlan associated with “Spamouflage” first appeared on social media claiming to be a New Yorker, a military veteran supporting Trump’s presidential campaign. However, a few months later, Harlan claimed to be a 31-year-old from Florida, not matching his original profile.
Researchers at Graphika discovered that Harlan’s claims and profile picture were false, with the photo being synthetically generated using artificial intelligence (AI). Messages sent to Harlan’s account received no responses.
Stubbs told the Associated Press, “One of the world’s largest secret network influence operations is being conducted by the Chinese government, infiltrating before elections and more aggressively impacting American political discourse.”
Facebook previously attributed this activity to Chinese law enforcement agencies, describing it as “the largest known cross-platform secret influence operation in the world.”
The messages spread by “Spamouflage” do not favor either the Democratic or Republican parties but aim to magnify criticisms of American society and government, attempting to undermine Americans’ overall confidence in elections, voting, and the nation. Their rumor activities also focus on key election issues crucial to Beijing, such as U.S. policy towards Taiwan.
Compared to armed conflict or economic sanctions, cyber influence operations are a low-cost, low-risk means to display geopolitical power. Max Lesser, a senior analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, stated that as people increasingly rely on online communication, networks spreading false information and using fake accounts will continue to grow.
Five years ago, when analysts first noticed “Spamouflage,” the network posted pro-China anti-U.S. content. In recent years, as it expanded, the tone became sharper, focusing on divisive political topics like gun control, crime, race relations, and partisan conflicts like the Harlan war. The network also began creating numerous fake American user accounts.
These fraudulent accounts lack original content, mostly reposting from platforms like X or TikTok.
Graphika identified 15 “Spamouflage” accounts on the X social media platform and 1 account on TikTok, all claiming to be American citizens or media outlets. These accounts were suspended by the time the report was completed.
Currently, the U.S. government is investigating foreign interference in elections. In July, The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report initiating a new focus on election interference, stating that China is “approaching this U.S. presidential election with more caution” and that efforts to influence the American public are being closely monitored.