The CIA is targeting the Chinese government with fake social media accounts. With social media platforms becoming critical channels for information sharing and spreading news, it is unsurprising that they have become a tool state actors use to spread propaganda and disinformation.
One of the most effective weapons in this regard is fake social media accounts created by anonymous individuals on the internet. So did the CIA really do such a thing? Here are all the details…
CIA reportedly trolls Chinese government with fake social media accounts
According to Reuters, Donald Trump launched an operation against China in cooperation with the CIA. It should be noted that the CIA has opened fake social media accounts directly targeting the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party since 2019.
These accounts aimed to create a sense of paranoia against the government led by Xi Jinping and to negatively influence public opinion by spreading allegations of corruption among party members and suspicious activities in China’s infrastructure programs.
Meanwhile, as you may recall, sanctions were previously imposed on Russia for using fake social media accounts to interfere in the US presidential election. On the other hand, it should be noted that China has resorted to fake accounts to hide human rights violations against Uyghur Turks.
In my previous article, I mentioned that Chinese spies target digital locks. In this context, Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore, outlined the vulnerabilities found in commercial safe locks approved by the US government in a letter to the National Counterintelligence and Security Centre (NCSC) director.
Many of these locks have a feature known to manufacturers that can be opened using special codes known as “backdoors“. Foreign spies can use these codes to steal US companies’ trade secrets and other sensitive information.
Disinformation spread by fake accounts significantly threatens community health and democracy. Eliminating this threat requires the cooperation of all concerned, including the public, civil society, and governments.
Featured image credit: DC Studio / Freepik
