China-Linked Influence Network Uses Repurposed Accounts to Pose as Americans Before Midterms: Report

A China-linked online influence operation is using older and repurposed social media accounts to pose as American voters and spread divisive political content ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, according to an Oct. 30 report by online intelligence firm Graphika.

The activity is linked to Spamouflage, a network that has operated for years promoting pro-Beijing narratives and targeting critics of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Graphika identified accounts that previously attacked Chinese dissidents and the Falun Gong spiritual practice but now amplify posts about immigration, mass shootings, election integrity, and other U.S. political issues.

From Philippine Culture to Pro-Beijing Propaganda and US Politics

One example is an account called Coolture that previously posted about Philippine food, culture, and lifestyle, often in Filipino.

After going inactive in August 2022, the account resumed posting on Nov. 30, 2024. Its content shifted to English-language pro-Beijing messaging, including a Chinese state television video celebrating Macao’s return to Chinese rule and offering a tribute to Mao Zedong and support for the American Communist Party.

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In 2025, the account shifted heavily toward U.S. politics, publishing both pro- and anti-U.S. President Donald Trump messages, criticizing U.S. funding for Ukraine, and circulating an artificial intelligence-generated video portraying the United States as an oligarchy rather than a democracy.

By Nov. 1, Coolture had approximately 201,600 followers, most of whom Graphika assessed had likely joined before the account was repurposed. Researchers could not determine whether the account had been sold, hijacked, or otherwise changed hands.

The researchers also identified three accounts that regularly amplified Coolture and had previously posted Spamouflage content targeting Falun Gong, the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts company, and Japan.

On Aug. 17, 2024, all three accounts posted material attacking Falun Gong or Shen Yun within 23 minutes of one another. Graphika said their consistent support for Coolture, combined with their previous Spamouflage activity, suggested coordination with the network.

In another case, @ghosolutions, an account with anti-Falun Gong language in its profile, had posted Spamouflage graphics targeting Falun Gong and Chinese businessman and CCP critic Guo Wengui in 2023 and 2024.

The account later began amplifying American political content. In an Oct. 26 exchange about a mass shooting, it falsely suggested that Trump had written, “They got what was coming to them,” introducing the allegation with “I read somewhere.”

Graphika also found unusual punctuation in posts across the accounts it examined, consistent with English text being typed using Chinese-language keyboards.

A Large Network With Limited Reach

Spamouflage, also known as Dragonbridge, has operated across numerous social media platforms.

Google’s Threat Analysis Group reported in June 2024 that it had disrupted more than 175,000 instances of Dragonbridge activity over the network’s lifetime, including more than 10,000 during the first quarter of that year.

Despite the large volume of material, Google said the operation had attracted very little genuine public engagement. Of the more than 57,000 YouTube channels it disabled in 2023, 80 percent had no subscribers.

Graphika found a similar pattern in the latest activity, with most interactions coming from other accounts within the same networks rather than ordinary users.

Coolture’s posts typically receive only several hundred views and a few dozen likes, replies, and reposts.

Graphika said the use of an established account with more than 200,000 followers nevertheless gives the operation a built-in audience that most Spamouflage personas lack.