- Over 1,150 crypto accounts push Chinese misinformation.
- Accounts are likely bots reposting dubious content.
- Bots appear to be working together.
The crypto sector has long struggled to tackle bots, both on and off-chain. A segment of this problem extends to social media, where bots promote dubious crypto projects, aiming to create the perception of organic engagement. However, recent activity from these crypto bots raised concerns, as many of these bots turned political.
An investigation by VOA Mandarin and DoubleThink Lab showed that over 1,150 crypto accounts are spreading Chinese propaganda posts. Most of these accounts appear to be bots used in a coordinated operation.
Chinese ‘Spamouflage’ by Crypto Bots
Crypto bots are starting to spread Chinese propaganda. A report released on Tuesday, October 29, by VOA Mandarin and DoubleThink Lab, a social media analytics firm, raised concerns about bot influence in politics.
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The report revealed that 1,153 accounts accounts, usually focusing on crypto topics, started spreading Chinese propaganda. The analysis revealed that most of these accounts are bots. For instance, researchers found 152 accounts were created on the same day. Moreover, most of the accounts reposted content 99% of the time.
Findings suggested that official Chinese X accounts and Beying propaganda operations, known as Spamuflage, hired these bot accounts to spread their messaging. Spamouflage is mixing innocuous posts with messages that align with Chinese propaganda efforts.
Why Crypto Bots Are Spreading Chinese Propaganda
The spread of government propaganda through crypto bots raises concerns, as this is not their typical use. Crypto bots usually work as part of for-profit enterprises. They work for hire, enabling crypto projects to hire them to create the appearance of actual engagement.
One of the most prominent accounts, Watermelon Cloth, frequently posted crypto content mixed with pro-China narratives and conspiracy theories . For instance, the since-suspended account references the supposed US biomedics lab in Ukraine.
Another account that apparently hired these bots is Xi’s Moments, which praises Chinese leader Xi Jinping . China Retold and the Jinan International Communication Center also had their content reposted. Zhang Heqing, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, also had his posts amplified by bots.
The report is unclear whether these actors worked in concert with each other. One possible explanation is that individual actors in China are hiring these bots to boost the visibility of their posts and spread their propaganda.
On the Flipside
- A Chinese official has recently urged the government to reassess its policies towards crypto, due to a policy shift in the US.
- Earlier, a VOA Mandarin and DoubleThink Lab report suggested that crypto bots are spreading antisemitic propaganda . The report speculates that the Chinese government spreads this propaganda to divide Western societies.
Why This Matters
Crypto bots used to spread government propaganda raise important questions about bots and social media. If these accounts are for anyone to hire, they can be used for nefarious purposes.
Read more about the investigation of a major figure in China:
China Probes Digital Yuan (CBDC) Architect Yao Qian
Read more about the Phantom Wallet outage:
Solana’s Phantom Wallet is Down: Here’s What Happened
