Cybersecurity group: China behind online disinformation campaign that seeks to undermine US midterm elections

By maryvillarealdw // 2022-11-03

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China was found to be behind a massive online disinformation campaign aimed at undermining the upcoming United States midterm elections, according to a cybersecurity group. The communist country is said to be using a network of social media accounts and altered news articles to "sow division between the U.S. and its allies and within the U.S. political system itself," said Mandiant, a cybersecurity and intelligence organization that works with governments and the public sector. The group called Dragonbridge caught the attention of Mandiant because of its aggressive attempts to discredit the U.S. democratic process, which included attempts to discourage Americans from voting in the midterm elections. Mandiant also assessed "with high confidence" that the online campaign is "operating in support of the political interests of the People's Republic of China." China is not the only country trying to meddle in the upcoming elections. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently warned that an Iranian government-backed hacking group is working to target U.S. entities. (Related: REPORT: China, Russia and others conspired in coordinated cyberwarfare attack to steal 2020 election.) Russia is also said to be working to amplify doubts about the integrity of the elections as voters are set to head to the polls next week. China's Dragonbridge operation is similar to those of other foreign actors. Accounts connected to the group are posting English-language videos on online platforms, which included content attempting to discourage Americans from voting in the midterm elections." One of the videos claimed that the solution to America's problems is not to vote for someone but to root out an ineffective and incapacitated system. This mirrors the narrative of other U.S.-based radical groups. Foreign countries have also used social media to sow discord on hot-button social issues in previous elections. The U.S. government has since been on high alert, warning that efforts by Russia, China and Iran to meddle in American politics have helped influence how voters think.

China's disinformation campaign meant to divide Americans

Chinese operators also promoted rhetoric that was meant to divide Americans and reinforce the impression that the country is irrevocably broken. The content that Mandiant was able to collect also pushed the narrative "that political infighting, partisanship, polarization and division had become fundamental aspects of American democracy." The campaign also pointed to frequent mentions of "civil war" on social media and incidents of politically motivated violence, including confrontations between individuals supporting opposing parties and acts against the FBI, as evidence of the deterioration of the political process and its impending demise. Mandiant noted that China's orchestrated campaigns have exhibited "aggressiveness through both the content of its narratives and its willingness to experiment with new tactics to accomplish its aims," which included attempts to mobilize American protesters to take to the streets and potentially commit violent acts. John Hultquist, who heads threat intelligence for Mandiant, said that while Russia and Iran are more aggressive in their efforts to undermine U.S. elections, "what’s troubling [about the CCP groups is] their aggressive growth." Jen Easterly, the director of the Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity arm, told reporters that the "current environment is pretty complex, arguably much more complex than it was in 2020." It seems that China's efforts are focused more on shaping policy perspectives, including the state and local level, rather than on electoral outcomes. Larry Norden of the Brennan Center for Justice pointed out that state and local governments are limited in what they can do against influence campaigns and it isn't their job to police political conversation. "I do think there is a lot voters should be doing. If they are seeing messages about candidates presented in an alarmist or emotionally charged way, their radar should be going up," he said. "They should be checking the accuracy of claims, and if they are seeing false claims, they should be letting the social media companies know." Visit Propaganda.news for more news about how China is trying to manipulate the 2022 midterm elections. Watch the video below that talks about China's attempt to undermine the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. This video is from the Chinese taking down EVIL CCP channel on Brighteon.com.

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China's disinformation campaign meant to divide Americans

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