China is not new to the digital maneuvering game. Over the years, it has refined its implementation of these practices, particularly on the social media platform, Meta. Digital micro-targeting and reshaping norms and attitudes among users have become their main course of action.
Meta, previously Facebook, revealed that China has been using artificial profiles to amplify Beijing's narratives. It's not a rudimentary approach either, rather a sophisticated multi-platform information operation with strategic use of artificial intelligence.
However, the Meta threat analysis team found a twist in the strategy. Instead of pushing pro-China sentiments directly, these A.I profiles were promoting Hong Kong's lifestyle and culture, indirectly casting China in a positive limelight.
By focusing on less politically sensitive subject matter, these profiles managed to skirt around Meta's rules and regulations for a while. It is a smart tactic that utilized the often overlooked cultural soft power in the digital space.
Chinese micro-targeting isn’t restricted only to Meta. LinkedIn, which has always marketed itself as a platform for professionals to connect, was also infiltrated by these artificially constructed profiles. The strategy remained the same- promoting Hong Kong's culture and lifestyle to subtly cast China in a favorable light.
The bogus LinkedIn profiles were often of non-existent employees of real companies. Their primary function was to access, connect with, and eventually win over 'connectors' - individuals who have a wide people-network and influence.
Then, utilizing these connectors’ trust, links were shared to Meta pages or other websites. This helped in boosting engagement, increasing reach, and amping up the overall influence of the artificial accounts and their interconnected network.
It was a smart and effective campaign from China that employed the right mechanisms to maximize its digital reach. Also, it was proof of China's increasing knowledge of Western platforms' inner workings and how they can tactfully be used for Beijing's benefit.
One of China's goals with this approach was to manipulate Meta's algorithm. By promoting specific posts or pages, these fake accounts increased the chances of such content appearing on users' feeds. And since it was domestic content about basking in Hong Kong's local culture, it didn’t blatantly fall under intrusive foreign influence. Thus, the chances of it being flagged declined.
The repercussions of this approach are concerning. While Chinese influencing operations aren’t new, this new innovative approach can sidestep the conventional digital boundaries and rules. It's also a testament to how China is advancing its digital strategies and enhancing its capabilities in the cyber domain.
It also underlines the challenge in a digital world where fake and real intermingle with ease, making it harder for safeguards to be effective. This is particularly challenging for Meta, which has abided by the rule of not interfering with domestic broadcast content.
The question now is how Meta will respond. In the past, it had taken down networks for 'coordinated inauthentic behavior. However, these norms and rules don't entirely apply to the situation at hand. Therefore, it's likely that we may see some modifications and fine-tuning of current rules.
Whether this story serves as a wake-up call or a norm for Meta is yet to be seen. However, the existence of this sophisticated information operation is a clear sign of future challenges. Meta must be proactive in addressing them and take into account countries' evolving strategies.
One of the ways could be continuing and enhancing its threats analysis. The team has already proved its worth by discovering this hidden influencing operation. Employing more of such digital sheriffs can help Meta maintain its user ecosystem’s credibility.
Developing new rules to understand and circumvent such tactics may also be necessary. What's more, the public should also be educated about such influencing operations to create digital resilience and make individuals less susceptible to external influence.
Finally, the incident proves the importance of understanding the nuances of digital power play. In the hyper-connected world of today, influence doesn't necessarily depend on firepower or wealth. Instead, it squarely relies on being present at the right places, reaching the right people, and narrating the right story.
Fake LinkedIn employees or artificial Meta profiles are just the tip of the iceberg. They are the markers of a digitally savvy China, which knows its way around global platforms. Unless these platforms find a way to defend their digitally connected spaces better, foreign influencing operations like the one discussed here will continue to exist and expand.