Graphika Reports China-Linked Accounts Targeting US Midterms on X

Online influence operations have targeted American voters for years, with foreign governments using social media to shape public opinion. Graphika, a New York-based firm that tracks digital networks, said on Friday that such activity is active on X ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The firm identified a cluster of accounts linked to a long-running campaign known as Spamouflage. These accounts likely have ties to China and are currently posting content that questions the integrity of US elections and the legitimacy of US democracy. The tactics resemble those documented by the firm in 2024 before the presidential election.

Spamouflage has been active for several years. In 2024, analysts noted that the network used automated accounts to spread specific messages during the presidential race. Intelligence officials have long warned that Russia, China, and Iran run similar online operations. Observers note that China’s strategy often focuses on undermining general confidence in US institutions rather than supporting a single candidate.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Darren Linvill, co-director of the Watt Family Innovation Center Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University, said the network is unlikely to change the outcome of the midterms. “Spamouflage is famously bad at mimicking real Americans,” Linvill said. “It’s outside their wheelhouse.”

Linvill noted that the network is more effective at suppressing information. The accounts frequently attack and harass members of the Chinese diaspora community. This activity fits a wider effort by Beijing to silence views it dislikes. Linvill stated there is “no chance it tips the balance in any real political conversation.”

Graphika identified one account that appears to have replaced a previously removed Spamouflage-linked account. This new account posted divisive content, including attacks on Democratic Party leadership during the US government shutdown in October 2025 and criticism of immigration policy. The firm also flagged four accounts with a history of Spamouflage activity that now amplify MAGA-styled personas.

A fifth account with more than 200,000 followers presents itself as a Philippine culture blog. Graphika said this account now posts pro-China and divisive US-focused content. The firm could not determine if the account was hijacked or if the original operator sold or lost control of it.