A social media user known as Harlan initially presented himself as a New Yorker, an Army veteran, and a Donald Trump supporter. Harlan claimed to be 29 years old in his profile picture. Later, Harlan changed his story, stating he was 31 and from Florida. Recent research has uncovered that the information shared by Harlan, including his profile picture, was fabricated, possibly generated using artificial intelligence.
Analysis by Graphika, a firm tracking online networks, revealed that Harlan’s account was connected to Spamouflage, a Chinese disinformation group known for spreading vast quantities of unrelated content alongside false information. It is part of a wider attempt by foreign adversaries to manipulate American political discussions through social media.
Authorities have noted that nations like Russia, China, and Iran have engaged in online influence operations targeting U.S. voters in the lead-up to the upcoming election. China has adopted a subtle strategy, focusing on undermining confidence in the U.S. elections and important campaign topics like American policy toward Taiwan.
Online influence operations provide a low-cost and low-risk method for nations to exert geopolitical power. Max Lesser, an analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suggests that as digital communication reliance grows, so will the use of online disinformation networks. This expansion may involve not just countries but also criminal groups, domestic extremists, and terrorist organizations.
Spamouflage’s tactics have evolved over time from posting generally pro-China, anti-American content to concentrating on polarizing issues like gun control, crime, race relations, and the Israel-Gaza conflict. Accounts associated with Spamouflage emulate American users and repost content from both extreme ends of the political spectrum on platforms like TikTok.
While some Spamouflage accounts, like Harlan’s, gained traction with viral posts, many others failed to do so. These accounts often attempted to pass as Americans through language use, sometimes with obvious errors that revealed their true origins. Harlan’s profile picture, suspected to be AI-generated, matched images used by other Spamouflage accounts.
A number of accounts linked to Spamouflage are still active on platforms like TikTok and X. The efforts being made by foreign entities to influence American political discourse through online platforms are likely to continue beyond the upcoming election.
