Chinese Americans hit with culturally specific election disinformation

Chinese American communities are reportedly facing a barrage of election-related disinformation, marked by culturally targeted attacks and widespread social media manipulation. As online influence operations from both foreign and domestic sources intensify, experts warn of the severe impact on voter confidence and engagement.

What’s being said: More recent misinformation targeting Chinese Americans appears to focus on Vice President Kamala Harris. False claims such as her being a “mistress” of former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown have spread across platforms like X and WeChat. Translated into culturally specific terms — such as referring to Harris as a “chicken,” a slur for sex workers — the false posts have amassed over 100,000 views on WeChat alone, as per The Guardian. Jinxia Niu of Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) told the outlet that about 80% of attacks on Harris are personal, being “very misogynistic and insulting, almost like shouting insults in the street.” The goal, as Dorothy He of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans explains, is to suppress voter turnout or influence political leanings.
The big picture: Disinformation campaigns have become more sophisticated, especially with advancements in AI. Russia, Iran and China are the most prominent foreign states spreading disinformation, according to federal agencies. Russia reportedly favors former President Donald Trump, Iran supports Harris while China spreads false information about both candidates. The rapid spread of false claims is also exacerbated by social media platforms’ inconsistent content moderation. Max Lesser of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told AP News in September, “We’re going to see a widening of the playing field when it comes to influence operations, where it’s not just Russia, China and Iran but you also see smaller actors getting involved.” Despite federal agencies debunking viral deepfakes and other fabrications — such as claims of voter fraud in Pennsylvania — disinformation persists, reflecting a high-stakes battle over truth and democratic engagement.

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