Mar 11, 2024,09:05pm EDT
A U.S. intelligence report circulated Monday highlights China’s escalating covert influence operations and suggests the nation may seek to sway the 2024 U.S. elections by exploiting perceived societal divisions on social media.
KEY FACTS
- The annual threat assessment, spanning 41 pages and issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), raises concerns that China could endeavor to influence the upcoming U.S. elections to sideline critics of China and exacerbate societal rifts.
- The report underscores the possibility that individuals not directly controlled by Beijing might engage in efforts to influence elections, aligning with China’s objectives.
- TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has drawn attention in the report, with accounts reportedly linked to a People’s Republic of China propaganda arm targeting candidates from both political parties during the 2022 midterm cycle.
KEY BACKGROUND
- U.S. intelligence agencies have previously cautioned about foreign governments leveraging social media to sway American elections, citing Russia’s influence campaign in the 2016 and 2020 races.
- TikTok has faced mounting scrutiny, particularly due to its Chinese ownership, amid concerns over national security and privacy.
TANGENT
- Lawmakers have raised questions about TikTok’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party, with the platform denying such affiliations and asserting efforts to counter deceptive behavior on its platform.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- The House is poised to vote on legislation that could lead to the removal of TikTok from app stores unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform within six months.
CHIEF CRITIC
- TikTok spokesperson Jamie Favazza reiterated the platform’s commitment to combating deceptive behavior and maintaining transparency in addressing covert influence networks.
CONTRA
- TikTok claims to have identified and removed content associated with accounts amplifying pro-China narratives, asserting its proactive stance against covert influences.
SURPRISING FACT
- Former President Donald Trump opposed a ban on TikTok, expressing concerns about further popularizing Facebook amidst considerations of national security threats posed by the app.