The Hidden Threat: Disinformation Targeting Chinese-Australian Communities in the 2025 Election
The 2025 Australian federal election is underway, and while concerns about foreign interference dominate headlines, a more insidious threat lurks within the digital spaces occupied by Chinese-Australian communities. A recent study by the RECapture research team, focusing on the popular platforms WeChat and RedNote (Xiaohongshu), reveals a disturbing trend: disinformation driven by commercial and domestic political interests is targeting these communities, posing significant risks to both their well-being and the integrity of Australian democracy. This disinformation campaign exploits pre-existing anxieties within the community, manipulates political narratives, and capitalizes on the unique characteristics of these platforms to spread misleading information.
Unlike traditional notions of disinformation as simply true or false, the RECapture study highlights its nuanced nature. Disinformation can involve ambiguous intent, making it challenging to identify and measure its harmful effects. Furthermore, Australia’s lack of a clear definition for online misinformation and disinformation hinders both research and regulation. Focusing on deliberate misrepresentations of policy positions and manipulated political speech intended to sway voters, the RECapture team uncovered several alarming tactics. These include exaggerating the likelihood of events, manipulating timelines and contexts to revive old news as current, and misaligning visuals and text to create false impressions.
The study found several recurring themes exploited by disinformation campaigns. Concerns surrounding potential changes to investor visas, undocumented migration, humanitarian programs, and Australia’s diplomatic relationships with India, the US, and China were frequently manipulated. One example involved a RedNote post misrepresenting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s comments on immigration, falsely claiming a general amnesty for all immigrants, a message designed to appeal to certain segments of the Chinese-Australian community. This post sparked discussions favoring a class-based immigration system, highlighting how disinformation can be used to manipulate public opinion.
Another example involved an article published by Chinese-language media outlet AFN Daily. Using a sensationalized and ambiguous headline, the article lured readers past multiple advertisements, including a political ad for a Liberal candidate. The article misrepresented polling data to suggest the Coalition held a lead over Labor and falsely claimed the Labor Party had naturalized thousands of Indian-origin citizens to influence the election. This narrative, previously refuted by government officials, played on racial tensions and existing anxieties within the Chinese-Australian community.
The research also revealed how natural disasters and public emergencies can be exploited to spread disinformation. A false claim circulating on WeChat suggested the election was cancelled due to Cyclone Alfred, demonstrating the need for rapid intervention to prevent such misinformation from gaining traction. These examples underscore the vulnerability of online communities to manipulated narratives and the potential for such tactics to influence political discourse.
The harms of disinformation are magnified within marginalized communities, particularly those relying on digital platforms with limited regulatory oversight. Australian regulatory bodies have been hesitant to intervene in these spaces, primarily due to concerns about cybersecurity and foreign interference. This reluctance has created a largely unregulated environment where disinformation can thrive, especially during election cycles. Furthermore, the insular nature of WeChat and RedNote’s media ecosystems contributes to the problem, as information is often shared within closed networks, making it difficult to counter false narratives. The persistence of disinformation narratives, often intersecting with racial stereotypes and partisan biases, further exacerbates the issue.
Addressing this growing threat requires a multi-pronged approach. Tailored civic education and media literacy initiatives are crucial for empowering users to identify and critically evaluate information. Grassroots debunking efforts by community members are commendable but insufficient. Broader public support for critical thinking in the digital age is essential to mitigate the exploitation of racial and gender biases for political gain. While automated tools can be helpful in detecting and debunking disinformation, their use on platforms like WeChat and RedNote is limited due to restrictions. Therefore, human intervention remains the most effective way to accurately inform communities about their choices in the upcoming election, regardless of their preferred media platform.
The RECapture research highlights a critical challenge facing Australian democracy: the targeted spread of disinformation within specific communities. While the focus on foreign interference is important, this study underscores the need to address the domestic and commercially driven disinformation campaigns that exploit vulnerabilities within online communities. By promoting media literacy, supporting critical thinking, and fostering a more regulated online environment, Australia can better protect its citizens from the insidious effects of disinformation and ensure the integrity of its democratic processes. The research team’s findings serve as a wake-up call, reminding us that the fight against disinformation is not just about external threats, but also about protecting the very fabric of our diverse society.
