September 3, 2024 at 02:24PM
Beijing-linked trolls, Spamouflage, resurface on X and TikTok, masquerading as frustrated US voters to influence the upcoming presidential election. They employ fake personas and AI-generated content to spread pro-China propaganda, with limited success in gaining authentic community traction. Despite recent takedowns, these accounts are expected to persist in amplifying American social divisions.
Based on the meeting notes, it seems that the Beijing-linked trolls known as Spamouflage have resurfaced with new accounts on X and TikTok aimed at influencing the upcoming presidential election. They have set up fake personas posing as US patriots, such as “Harlan” and “Abbey,” and are spreading pro-China propaganda, largely focusing on divisive social issues and utilizing deepfakes and AI-generated fake news.
It is noted that these fake accounts have not gained significant traction within authentic online communities discussing the election, with the exception of a TikTok video mocking President Biden that garnered 1.5 million views. However, it is expected that Spamouflage will continue to amplify American social divisions and improve their generative AI tools in order to produce more believable fake personas online.
Additionally, previous takedowns of Spamouflage accounts on OpenAI and actions taken by Meta and Google have aimed at countering these efforts. It is important to remain vigilant and continue monitoring and addressing these types of influence operations as the November election approaches.