China’s Shadowy Disinformation Campaign Targeting the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Communities Uncovered by Meta
In a startling revelation that underscores the escalating digital battleground of misinformation, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has exposed a sophisticated covert influence operation orchestrated from within China. This campaign, meticulously designed to sow discord and manipulate public opinion, specifically targeted the revered Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the broader Tibetan exile community. Meta’s fourth-quarter 2024 Adversarial Threat Report details the intricate web of fake accounts, pages, and groups used to disseminate disinformation and amplify pro-China narratives, shedding light on the lengths to which certain actors will go to control the narrative surrounding Tibet and its exiled leader.
The unearthed operation involved a network of 18 fabricated Facebook accounts, two pages, four groups, and five Instagram accounts, all meticulously crafted to appear authentic. These accounts masqueraded as journalists, Tibetan expatriates, and concerned citizens, leveraging these fabricated identities to spread carefully curated disinformation. The campaign extended its reach beyond Meta’s platforms, infiltrating other social media channels like X (formerly Twitter) and Blogspot, demonstrating a multi-platform strategy aimed at maximizing exposure and impact. The content disseminated through these channels sought to discredit the Dalai Lama, cast doubt on his health, and promote narratives aligned with Chinese government interests.
Meta’s investigation revealed the technical sophistication of the operation. The perpetrators employed proxy IPs to mask their true location, creating the illusion that the accounts originated from within the Tibetan exile communities in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. This tactic aimed to enhance the credibility of the disinformation and foster a sense of internal dissent. One account, for instance, impersonated a journalist from Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian state bordering Tibet, while others posed as members of the Tibetan diaspora. This careful construction of false identities underscores the meticulous planning and resources invested in the campaign.
The disinformation campaign employed a multi-pronged approach. It propagated conspiracy theories regarding the Dalai Lama’s health and travels, including baseless allegations that the United States was manipulating him for political leverage against China. Furthermore, the operation strategically amplified anti-Dalai Lama content shared by seemingly authentic voices, lending an air of legitimacy to the fabricated narratives. This tactic involved directing audiences to external websites, including Storify News, Dakini Translations and Publications, and a Change.org petition, further broadening the reach of the disinformation and creating an echo chamber of manipulated information.
Meta’s discovery of this operation stemmed from an internal investigation into suspected recidivist behaviour linked to previous networks dismantled in the third quarter of 2023. This earlier campaign, also originating from China, targeted Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh, demonstrating a persistent pattern of coordinated inauthentic behaviour. The removed content violated Meta’s policies against coordinated inauthentic behaviour, which prohibit the manipulation of public discourse through fake accounts and coordinated activity. While the current operation had a limited reach – approximately 2,400 accounts followed at least one of the removed Facebook pages, 120 joined the groups, and 100 followed the Instagram profiles – Meta’s proactive intervention prevented the campaign from gaining wider traction.
This latest revelation underscores the ongoing challenge of combating state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, particularly those targeting vulnerable communities and geopolitical flashpoints like Tibet. China’s long-standing efforts to control the narrative surrounding Tibet and its exiled spiritual leader are well-documented. This campaign represents a sophisticated escalation of these efforts, leveraging the reach and anonymity of social media platforms to sow discord and manipulate public opinion. Meta’s intervention, while successful in dismantling this particular network, highlights the constant vigilance required to protect the integrity of online discourse and counter the pervasive threat of disinformation in the digital age. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for robust platform policies, advanced detection mechanisms, and international collaboration to address the complex challenges posed by state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. The battle for truth in the digital realm continues, and vigilance remains paramount.
