The Chinese Communist Party has weaponized nearly 200,000 Twitter accounts to disseminate “state-linked” propaganda while Russia, the left’s boogeyman for pro-Trump election interference, had under 1,200 accounts.
The news was rushed out on Thursday afternoon after an explosive Mediaite report into fake accounts plaguing President Trump’s Twitter following.
Twitter released the information as part of a report entitled, “Disclosing networks of state-linked information operations we’ve removed.”
The report outlines how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had two methods of targeting Twitter users with Chinese propaganda:
- 23,750 accounts that comprise the core of the network, e.g. the highly engaged core network;
- Approximately 150,000 accounts that were designed to boost this content, e.g. the amplifiers. Based on feedback from researchers on our prior disclosures that we need to better refine the disclosure process to enable efficient investigation of the core activity, we have not included the 150,000 amplifier accounts in the public archive.
Twitter described the actions of these accounts as being “involved in a range of manipulative and coordinated activities” and “spreading geopolitical narratives favorable to the Communist Party of China (CCP), while continuing to push deceptive narratives about the political dynamics in Hong Kong.”
Xi Jinping’s 2016 decree – “wherever the readers are, wherever the viewers are, that is where propaganda reports must extend their tentacles” – has certainly materialized.
The report also damages the left’s debunked 2016 Russia narrative which alleged bots on social media were peddling disinformation intending to sway the election in favor of Donald Trump. And it’s also a testament to how U.S. leaders – Republicans and Democrats alike – have allowed their focus on Russia to obscure the threat of China’s rise.
The report noted that Russia’s activities were limited to “1,152 accounts and associated media” involved in “promoting the United Russia party and attacking political dissidents.”
In other words, the CCP has 150 times the number of accounts as Russia allegedly deployed to peddle pro-Trump content.
In March, The National Pulse exclusively revealed details of China’s “wu mao” or “50 cent” bot army.
Writing then, we revealed:
Chinese bots have flocked to Twitter since the beginning of the coronavirus public relations effort emanating from Beijing.
In the past few days especially, brand new “bot”-like accounts following zero people, and being followed back by no one, have flooded Twitter threads attacking the United States of America, President Trump, and many who believe the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) should have to answer tough questions about the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The latest information revealed by Twitter proves the reporting correct. And yet, you probably won’t hear a peep from the establishment media.
Why?
China is directly linked to opposition candidate Joe Biden.
.@RaheemKassam and Steve Bannon on China's digital 'Wu Mao' army attacking the United States#WarRoomPandemic #CoronavirusOutbreak
👉https://t.co/HuZDFNTwiv pic.twitter.com/h7Xf5V8ZB9
— War Room: Pandemic ☣️ (@WarRoomPandemic) March 18, 2020
