A senior US official complained the spread of Chinese and Russian disinformation in the Solomon Islands during a diplomatic visit in 2022. Kurt Campbell, the Biden administration’s head for Asia, told the Senate that he had found false news about the United States in local media, amplified by the Chinese propaganda machine.
The episode highlights the China’s increasingly sophisticated efforts to shape global perceptions through a vast network of websites posing as legitimate media outlets. According to analysts, Beijing is investing billions a year in this campaign, also exploiting artificial intelligence.
“Media manipulation is ultimately manipulation of readers and the public, and it is harmful to democracy and society,” Van Sant said.
The US authorities are alerted to the potential impact of these operations on the November elections and American interests. The main tactic is to spread pro-Chinese content through sites that imitate reliable news outlets.
Shannon Van Sant, consulente della Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundationhas identified dozens of sites pretending to be news organizations. One of these it even imitated the design of the New York Times to appear legitimate.
By investigating the alleged reporters of these sites, Van Sant found no verifiable information. Their names did not match known journalists in China, and the photos showed signs of having been generated with AI.
The Chinese Embassy in the United States he strongly rejected accusations of using websites and social media to spread pro-Beijing information and influence American public opinion.
Secondo Xiao Qiang, researcher at the University of California at BerkeleyIn addition to state media, China also relies on foreign figures – real or fictitious – to lend credibility to narratives favorable to the Communist Party.
Unlike Russia and Iran, which they showed clear preferences in the US presidential campaignBeijing is more cautious and focuses on spreading positive content about China.
The cybersecurity company Logically identified 1,200 websites that published stories from Russian or Chinese state media, often with names that sound like traditional news outlets.
Some US officials are calling for increased funding to counter China’s global influence. The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would authorize $325 million annually through 2027 to counter Beijing’s disinformation campaigns.
Representative Gregory Meeks stated: “We are in a global competition for influence with China, and if you want to win it, you can’t do it on a middle-power budget.”.
The race for global influence it is also linked to competition for technological dominance in key sectors such as electric vehicles, chips, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. According to experts, leadership in these emerging technologies will provide a great advantage in the near future.
Source: www.tomshw.it
