Chinese trolls are allegedly pumping out anti-Donald Trump and anti-Kamala Harris content on the infamously communist-controlled video platform, TikTok.
A new report from the corporate press suggested that users on the platform were misleading audiences by promoting divisive disinformation. Jack Stubbs is the chief intelligence officer with Graphika, an independent research contractor. He told the corporate press that China has been getting “more aggressive” generating propaganda targeting U.S. citizens.
Grapika found one account that generated hundreds of anti-Trump videos using artificial intelligence, and it was connected to a network of anti-Trump accounts which published thousands of videos. Their investigators found that the accounts in question originated from Vietnam, Iran, Nigeria, and China.
One account was identified, it was called “Harlan Report” and was removed by TikTok after Graphika’s investigators made inquiries about the account with the company.
Both China and U.S. intelligence agencies have publicly commented to the effect that China is not actively interfering in America’s elections. U.S. agencies also claimed that Iran is attempting to prevent Trump from winning and Russia wants to avoid Democrat victories.
Graphika was able to identify 15 accounts; the network is named Spamouflage, and major social media companies have banned accounts associated with the network.
Additionally, Chinese state actors were arrested last year in New York. State prosecutors alleged that over 40 Chinese government agents were running social media accounts to undermine American political discussions, and target critics of China. The individuals also were running a Chinese police station in New York City.
FBI evidence showed that Chinese agents were posing as Americans online, and using the fake-personas to amplify pro-China anti-US messaging. Charges against the accused include interstate harassment, conspiracy, and making threats.
Two men in NYC were charged with setting up a Chinese police station, Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, were both busted in April of last year and face up to twenty years in prison if convicted.
