The parent company of Facebook and Instagram said on Sept. 27 that it disrupted a Chinese influence operation seeking to interfere in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
Meta Platforms said that it had dismantled the China-based campaign, which targeted users in the United States with political content in an apparent effort to polarize voters.
The China-based network maintained fake accounts across Meta’s social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, as well as its competitor Twitter.
The covert influence operation began in November of 2021, Meta said, but failed to garner substantial engagement.
A report (pdf) released by Meta said that the discovery was significant because it suggests a shift toward more direct interference in U.S. domestic politics from China, whereas previous known Chinese propaganda efforts focused on audiences external to the United States….