Security News > 2023 > November > Beijing fosters foreign influencers to spread its propaganda
China is offering foreign influencers access to its vast market in return for content that sings its praises and helps to spreads Beijing's desired narratives more widely around the world, according to think tank the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
In a policy brief [PDF] published today titled "Singing from the CCP's songsheet," ASPI analysts Fergus Ryan and Daria Impiombato - along with independent contractor on contemporary Chinese politics and media Matt Knight - analyzed the output of over 120 foreign influencers who operate active accounts on Chinese video-streaming platforms such as Bilibili, Douyin, Xigua, and Toutiao.
By coordinating foreign influencers and other communicators, Beijing aspires to create a unified choir of voices capable of promoting Party narratives more effectively than traditional official PRC media.
The policy brief quotes a state media worker as saying Beijing aims to "Cultivate a group of 'foreign mouths,' 'foreign pens,' and 'foreign brains' who can stand up and speak for China at critical moments" at home and abroad. At home, foreign influencers are useful even when they counter Chinese voices: according to the policy brief, a foreigner's account was promoted by Beijing as it painted a rosier picture of COVID containment measures than posts by Chinese citizens.
China can participate freely in the global internet - either directly, or through proxies like influencers who know that backing Beijing helps contribute to livelihoods largely earned inside China.
"The growing use of foreign influencers will make it increasingly difficult for social-media platforms, foreign governments and individuals to distinguish between genuine and/or factual content and propaganda," the document warns, which will make it harder to counter disinformation "And protect the integrity of public discourse."
News URL
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/11/27/china_foreign_inflluencers_aspi/