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A Twitter botnet began promoting YouTube videos that falsely claimed the ABC was an Australian propaganda website less than a day after China’s ambassador warned the Albanese government not to take sides in Beijing’s push for reunification with Taiwan.
The Chinese Communist Party has employed a wide range of strategies to push disinformation on social media in the past, including foreign social media influencers, state media accounts, and botnets to amplify postings.
A botnet is an extensive and coordinated network of automated Twitter accounts that game the algorithm by following, retweeting, and liking each other’s content. These bots often appear legitimate at first glance, but their purpose is to elevate specific issues or content above others.
The video promoting a Twitter botnet began spreading on Thursday morning, shortly after the YouTube film insinuating that internet companies were aiding Western government propaganda.
The video appears to have been swiftly halted, with many tweets no longer accessible in search on Friday as opposed to Thursday. However, they still appear on the profile pages of the bot accounts. The ABC reported that one of their political reporters was harassed by the botnet after she retweeted a story about the ambassador’s speech. The reporter did not want to be named and said she received numerous abusive and threatening messages.
There has been no evidence linking the Twitter botnet to any official Chinese government account.
However, Beijing has a long history of using botnets and social media influencers to disseminate propaganda and disinformation.
In 2015, China used a network of paid Twitter accounts, known as the 50 Cent Party, to tweet pro-government messages.
Last year, an investigation by The Guardian found that China was using an army of social media “moms” to spread positive messages about the government and its policies.
These moms were paid to post on WeChat, a popular Chinese messaging app, with some earning up to $800 a month.
Using botnets and social media influencers aligns with China’s more comprehensive propaganda efforts.
Beijing has been increasingly vocal in its push for reunification with Taiwan, a self-governing island that China considers a wayward province.
In recent years, China has stepped up its efforts to influence public opinion on the island by investing in media outlets, sponsoring cultural events, and sending delegations of officials and businesspeople.
Twitter botnets are a new front in China’s propaganda efforts.
“What we’re seeing here is just the latest iteration of an ongoing disinformation campaign by the Chinese government,” said Fergus Hanson, head of the International Cyber Policy Centre at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
“They are using a range of tools and tactics to try and influence public opinion both in Taiwan and around the world.”
“This is just the latest example of how sophisticated and well resourced these efforts are.”
The botnet comes as tensions between Australia and China continue to simmer.
Last week, China’s ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, warned that ties between the two countries could be damaged if Canberra took sides in the Taiwan issue. His comments came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was open to considering a formal defence pact with Taiwan.
The Twitter botnet is the latest example of how the Chinese government uses sophisticated methods to disseminate propaganda and disinformation. These efforts are well resourced and have a broad reach. Australians should be aware of these tactics and be critical of the information they consume online.
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