Facebook and Instagram's parent company, Meta, revealed on Tuesday that it had successfully thwarted a significant disinformation campaign linked to Chinese law enforcement. The social media giant referred to this operation as the "largest known cross-platform covert influence operation in the world."
Taking Down Disinformation Networks
Meta took action by removing over 7,700 accounts and 930 pages from Facebook. These accounts were part of a network that created positive posts about China, with a specific focus on portraying the Xinjiang province in a favorable light. This province has been the subject of international attention due to the Chinese government's treatment of the Uyghur minority, leading to sanctions.
Furthermore, the network attempted to spread misleading information about the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and negative commentary about the United States. This disinformation operation spanned across various social media platforms, including Medium, Reddit, Tumblr, YouTube, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
How Meta Disrupted the Misinformation Networks
Meta initiated its investigation after reports emerged in 2022 about a disinformation campaign associated with the Chinese government targeting a human rights NGO. The company's global lead for threat intelligence, Ben Nimmo, stated that these operations were substantial but lacked authenticity in building genuine audiences on their platform or elsewhere online.
Meta researchers established a connection between this recent disinformation network and a previous influence campaign in 2019, code-named "Spamouflage." According to Meta's quarterly threat report, Spamouflage was deemed the most extensive cross-platform covert influence operation to date. Despite efforts to conceal identities, the investigation revealed links to individuals affiliated with Chinese law enforcement.
Other Misinformation Operations and Challenges
In addition to disrupting the Chinese-linked operation, Meta identified and analyzed a Russian disinformation campaign shortly after the onset of the 2022 Ukraine war. These disruptions come at a critical time, as concerns over the role of influence campaigns in elections prompted social media platforms to adopt stricter content guidelines.
Previous elections have witnessed the impact of influence campaigns on Meta's users, notably during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, where a Russia-backed campaign sought to manipulate sentiment. However, Meta's cybersecurity executives noted that the recent disinformation network, while extensive, proved ineffective. The campaign amassed over 500,000 followers, mainly from Bangladesh, Brazil, and Vietnam, but these followers were largely inauthentic.
Tactics of the Disinformation Campaign
The operators of the campaign employed strategies that involved posting headlines disconnected from the context of original content. They also spread identical content across multiple platforms in various languages. This approach aimed to cast doubt on various topics, such as the Covid-19 origins and other sensational claims.
False headlines like "Great clue! Suspicious U.S. seafood received before the outbreak at Huanan Seafood Market" were duplicated across eight languages. Another headline falsely implicated Fort Detrick as the source of the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite these allegations, scientific studies have pinpointed a Wuhan market as the initial epicenter of the virus.
Targeted Individuals and Unusual Hashtags
The campaign also attempted to spread disinformation about indicted billionaire Guo Wengui, who fled China in 2014 and was later arrested in 2023 on fraud and money laundering charges by U.S. authorities. The disinformation efforts extended to Steve Bannon, a former Trump administration official and associate of Wengui.
Meta also identified "unusual" hashtags associated with the network. For instance, after reports emerged about a secret Chinese police station in New York City, the campaign employed hashtags such as #ThisispureslanderthatChinahasestablishedasecretpolicedepartmentinEngland. These tactics aimed to counter narratives critical of the Chinese government.
Meta's cybersecurity team stands ready to identify and disrupt any future influence networks as the 2024 elections approach. Nimmo emphasized their ability to detect shifts towards discussing U.S. political issues and intervening promptly. While acknowledging the ongoing vigilance required, Meta remains committed to its task of countering disinformation and safeguarding online platforms from manipulation.
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