China is behind the largest known covert propaganda operation ever identified on Facebook and Instagram, according to a new report by security researchers at Meta.
Meta on Tuesday outed the authors of a four-year long influence campaign dubbed “Spamouflage Dragon,” which first appeared in 2019 to spread propaganda about Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. Since then, the campaign has focused on spreading disinformation about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, attacking dissidents and critics abroad, criticizing the United States, and attempting to sow division during the 2022 midterm elections.
For years, researchers have speculated that the voluminous Spamouflage Dragon posts were connected to the Chinese government but have been unable to publicly prove a link until now. The link comes courtesy of overlapping content found in both Meta’s report and charges filed against Chinese intelligence operatives back in spring.
So apparently they really suck at it? That’s kind of hilarious
They don’t mention what the propagandists push about COVID. The usual line from weirdo propagandists is that COVID is a secret bioweapon and was released from the Wuhan labs intentionally. I assume China wouldn’t sign on to that one? Do they just push the scientific consensus, which is that the origin is unknown but is probably natural, and possibly an unintentional lab leak? Or an exaggeration thereof which completely discounts the lab leak theory but still asserts what is most probable – it’s from animals? That’s pretty weak sauce for propaganda. Maybe they push some nuance about COVID that only the Chinese government cares about. Or maybe they go buck wild and say it was developed by NATO biolabs in Ukraine.
So basically they tried to do what Russia did but worse
Idk if this is propaganda or just some fucking idiot online LMAO
I don’t imagine that the boss of whoever would be responsible for this supposed project would look at the responses and go “yep, looks about right”
It’s not like being bilingual is that rare in intelligence positions in China. The evidence for being state-sponsored is weak.
Consensus has always been likely lab leak,higher ups were just covering for fauci and his involvement in funding the lab. And others were silenced by the whole “lab leak theory is racist” mob.Edit: Why am I getting downvoted? Have yall not been keeping up on the news on the topic. Am I misinformed?
Yes. You are misinformed.
Would… you… mind… sharing your source of information? I don’t recall precisely where I got my information from, but it was definitely along the lines of CNN/MSNBC/NYT and not Breitbart or Trump, jic its that cultural identity that people are downvoting.
Can you give me a source from CNN/MSNBC/NYT where the meat market origin was created to cover up for Fauci? Your entire premise, save the idea that a lab “might” have been the source, is all conspiracy theory and not at all consensus.
The most recent lab leak stuff, as far as I’m aware, which did make the news was a thing published by some federal agency detailing the lab leak. However, what they didn’t (and rarely do) report was that it had a low confidence rating. It was basically them exploring the idea, but they don’t believe that was the cause. Just one possible cause out of many.
I don’t think a possible lab leak has been ruled out, however, my understanding is that we really just don’t know (at least publicly).
I think the downvotes are a reaction to the amount of COVID-19 misinformation that has been pumped out over the years, with the lab leak theory being pushed by people who didn’t even believe in COVID in the first place.
The lab leak theory has never Bene more than a theory and there has certainly been no scientific consensus in favor of it.
While I’m open to the lab leak (on accident) theory, pointing the blame at one guy, Fauci, for funding them is really a bad basis for the idea. You’ve probably been misinformed at some point in yoir search for answers.
Looking back for sources, I think it was a Johnny Harris video that I’m thinking of. And while he’s done some work for NYT, this piece wasn’t done for them. also his bias and factuality, I now see, are questionable.
Still, I’ve got to be at least a little questioning of scientific leaders like Fauci who will tell us what he thinks we need to hear for our own good. Like he told us not to wear masks. His current reasoning is because he learned more about the virus and updates his view on masks… but his initial reasoning was to protect the supply of masks for healthcare workers.
I really wish he didn’t do that, because it’s people like him I look to to understand all the research, and explain it to us. When I read about the situation, the parts I understand at least…. Largely comprise of circumstantial evidence that is explained away by experts. Experts with an interest if GoF research, experts who … fuck man…. I’m tired and I’m not going to convince anyone that they should even do as much as be 1% more skeptical.
I read several NYT and CNN articles, I read through much of this Snopes piece, watched some recent BBC commentary… and I’m just not sure anyone should be so certain in either direction about the origin of Covid.
Just don’t lump me in with covidiots saying there are microchips in the vaccines.
Of course not! We’ve all come across misinformation on this topic. It’s unavoidable. Even now I have questions about current messaging, new strains, etc. It’s so shit.
Nobody just trusts what they read anymore, whether its the news or the state. I wish I could be 1% less skeptical, I’d still be perfectly fine.
This does seem like a huge fuck-up in hindsight. Thankfully while Fauci is still a popular interview guest, he’s no longer in charge.
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What you should have posted was nothing.