The CIA allegedly launched a covert operation to troll Chinese language officers and switch public opinion in opposition to them by leaks and unfavorable information on social media.
Reuters reviews that the operation started in 2019 and was additionally geared toward inflicting paranoia inside Xi Jinping's authorities. CIA brokers reportedly created faux social media accounts to unfold rumors, akin to allegations that Communist Celebration members hid ill-gotten wealth outdoors the nation, and criticized Chinese language authorities initiatives, akin to claims program that finance infrastructure tasks in different international locations is corrupt.
The CIA declined to remark Reuters, who couldn’t verify whether or not this system continues to be in impact. Reuters mentioned the operation, licensed by then-President Donald Trump, operated past China and used social media to affect public opinion in Southeast Asia, Africa and the South Pacific. China's Belt and Highway Initiative, which has supplied grants and loans for infrastructure tasks, operates in creating international locations in these areas. This initiative was one of many targets of the CIA program.
Social media-fueled propaganda by state actors is nothing new, however the information has been extra typically about different international locations focusing on the US. Russia has been repeatedly accused of making faux accounts and troll farms to sway US public opinion, with a former ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin admitting final 12 months that he based a troll farm to intrude within the US election . In the identical 12 months, Rolling Stone wrote China-based community created a faux far-right publication that fed faux tales to European social media customers. In the meantime, US politicians, of their bid to ban TikTok, declare that the Chinese language authorities may use the social media platform to spy on or affect customers.