Graphika: China-Linked Spamouflage Network Posed as US Voters on X

October 31, 2026 - 03:08

A network of China-linked accounts used X to impersonate American voters and amplify political division ahead of the US midterm elections, according to a new report from the research firm Graphika.

The operation is tied to Spamouflage, a long-running influence campaign that researchers have tracked for years. In this case, the accounts adopted the personas of ordinary US citizens, posting about hot-button domestic issues in an effort to blend into organic political conversation and steer it toward polarization.

Graphika said the accounts worked to build credibility by mimicking the language and concerns of real users, then used that footing to push narratives favorable to Beijing and critical of the United States. The personas were designed to look like grassroots Americans rather than obvious state propaganda, a tactic that makes such campaigns harder to detect and moderate.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that foreign influence operations are shifting away from overt messaging toward impersonation and subtle engagement. By posing as voters, the operators aimed to exploit existing divides rather than introduce new ones, a strategy that can spread further because it looks authentic.

X did not immediately comment on the report. Researchers have repeatedly warned that platform policy changes and reduced moderation capacity have created openings for coordinated inauthentic behavior, and Graphika's report suggests those concerns remain relevant as political tensions rise.