Wall Street Journal TECHNOLOGY


Meta Uncovers Largest-Ever Chinese Influence Network


Company removed almost 8,000 accounts, says content didn’t spread far


Meta Platforms said it has taken down the largest known online covert influence operation in the world, a cross-platform campaign that was aimed at advancing China’s interests and discrediting its adversaries including the U.S.


In a report released Tuesday, Meta said the effort was largely unsuccessful despite comprising thousands of accounts across more than 50 apps, including about 7,700 of its own Facebook and Instagram, plus YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Pinterest and X, formerly Twitter. Meta said the operation, known in the security community as “Spamouflage,” dated back to 2019 and was linked to individuals associated with Chinese law enforcement.


Meta said the China network was pushing positive commentary about the country as well as criticism of the U.S. and western foreign policies. It was run by operators dispersed across China, and many of the accounts were detected and disabled by the company’s automated systems. Meta said this likely led to posting on smaller platforms and trying to amplify the content to larger services.


“We have not found evidence of this network getting any substantial engagement among authentic communities on our services,” Meta said.


The Chinese government has broadly denied targeting the U.S. with online influence campaigns or disinformation. Likewise, Russia has previously denied trying to influence U.S. elections.


In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Washington said China opposes the production and spread of false information. It said U.S. social media was “awash with disinformation about China,” but didn’t address Meta’s allegations or actions.


The Russian embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a request for comment.


The takedown was the seventh that Meta said it has removed from China over the past six years. It was also one of several around the globe that Meta said it recently completed, including the disruption of Doppelganger, the largest and most aggressive Russian operation the company has seen. That campaign, which was focused on weakening support for Ukraine by its allies, entailed operators posting links to websites resembling real news outlets and containing pro-Russia narratives. Because those exist off-platform, Meta said they can be difficult to counter.


“Enforcements on each individual platform can only go so far in disrupting these internet-wide campaigns while their websites remain live,” Meta said.


Meta and other social platforms began sharpening their focus on coordinated campaigns intended to sway public opinion after the identification of Russian government interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. A 2019 report from a U.S. Senate committee criticized U.S. tech giants for helping spread disinformation during the 2016 campaign and called for better coordination of efforts to prevent similar activity for future elections.


Covert social-media campaigns are essentially a whack-a-mole problem for platform operators. People seeking to achieve illicit goals through such campaigns are constantly refining their methods to avoid detection, according to security experts.


Some common indicators of malicious activity include posts with spelling and grammar errors and links to unrelated topics. The China network’s posts were so spammy that the operation appeared to be prioritizing volume over audience building, said Ben Nimmo, global threat intelligence lead at Meta.


“It’s throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks,” he said, adding that this raises a question of whether the operators were really trying to influence social-media users or simply earn a paycheck. “Who is the ultimate target—the audience or the guys paying the bills?”


Meta’s latest takedowns come as U.S. relations with China are tense and as the U.S. opposes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In recent months, the White House has confirmed reports of China ramping up its military presence in Cuba, while President Biden called Chinese leader Xi Jinping a dictator. Washington has been preparing measures to curb exports of advanced semiconductors to China and to cut Chinese companies off from U.S. cloud computing platforms.


Write to Sarah E. Needleman at [email protected]

Want to buy one. Thanks

Planned to compete with this beautiful rifle after joining PRS for the first time this year at age 62. Before I could take it out to sight it in and chrono, my heart failed. Following months of surgery and recovery, I still have a shaking that will not permit me to compete, so I want to sell this to someone who will benefit from it. Rifle is 12 lbs, full build is 21.2 lbs. Everything pictured on the rifle comes with the sale as follows: Havak Hit Pro in 6.5 PRC ($2,400), Nightforce NX8 4x32-50 F1 MIl-XT ($2,400), Accu-Tac Bipod FD-4 Arca Spec QD ($387), Hawkins Scope Rings ($177), Ultradyne Apollo Max 6.5 muzzle brake ($149), Cole-TAC backbone frame and flat bag ($130), Snyder M-Lok weights ($90), Gray Ops CNC Bag Stop Arca Mount ($85), AICS 7 round metal Mag ($70), MDT Forend weights ($60). Excluding shipping charges, including tax, I have $6,593 into this build. I'm asking $4,800 OBO. Will consider keeping the scope if you don't need it and sell the rest for $2,800. Please pass this along for me. Thank you!

FS is a complete carbon setup from XLR. Included is the carbon buttstock with foam cheek pad(retail $399), push button folding adapter (retail $145), bag rider (retail $49) and carbon grip (retail $180). Items are from my XLR element 4.0 build and are essentially in like new condition. Length of pull measures at 13.5-13.75” with the folder.

Asking $575 or reasonable offer for the entire package shipped to the lower 48. Will accept f&f payments from PayPal, Venmo and also Zelle.

PSA Lower Parts kit without Fire Control Group
Black
$30 shipped in CONUS

Selling a CMMG Banshee in excellent condition. 5.7x28. Eight inch barrel. Has been fired less than 100 rounds. Comes with 1 mag and mil-spec trigger. Also comes with brace shipped separately. I have plenty of ammo for sale at a good price. Holosun not included. $900 shipped. OBO

Good afternoon shooters,


I have up for grabs a new in the box Glock 17 Gen5 in OD green cerakote on the frame. It's not been shot, fondled, or otherwise jacked with. I have plenty of Gaston's creations, just letting this one go.

Going price shipped to your FFL is 400 flat, it's priced to move, but I will keep it before it goes lower; be sure that your FFL can accept from individuals. I'll get some photos up here in a bit.

As always, first "dibs" on the post is honored before any other arrangement. Feel free to message me any questions.

Payment is best taken as Zelle or Postal M.O.

Flywheel

Selling my TMB Gen 2.5 as I will only be hunting suppressed and any matches I will shoot will be suppressed as well. Awesome brake and killed the recoil on my now sold 6.5cm.

275 shipped PayPal f&f preferred

Im in the market for a mpvo in the 3-18Xish range for a 18" 6.5 Grendel AR15. Im trying to take advantage of some labor day sales to get it done. I have found what I think are some good deals but would love to hear from someone who has used two or three of these options. I have it narrowed down to these:
Viper PST Gen II 3-15x44mm from Optics Planet for $576
Athlon Ares ETR UHD 3-18x50mm from Midway for $585
Meopta Optika 6 3-18x50mm from Cameraland for $765

Id really like to stay under $600 but Ive heard great things about the Meopta. But I have to wonder if the UHD glass of the Athlon is as good or better. Love the dual locking turrets on the Athlon. The Athlon seems like a steal at that price but I don't see nearly as much about that model vs the 4.5-30x version. Which is the best deal for the money and why?

Used like new origin/TL3 308 bolt head. $105 shipped PP FF/Venmo/Zelle

I finally purchased my first can. Went with a Diligent Defense Enticer S. For you fellas who run these enticer cans, what mount do you recommend going with? It is my first can so starting fresh. I do plan to run it on my AR's and bolt rifle for the time being till I can purchase another one. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Take it easy on me here. I’m NV/Thermal ignorant besides I know good stuff is expensive.

I have a chance to do some night wild pig extinction with a large property through my work, but they said it had to be done at night.

I’ve got AR’s and bolt guns and I’m looking to see if there’s anything decent for around the $1000 mark on a thermal, give or take some cash.

What should i be looking at, if anything in this price range

Don't care what finish, looking for 1 or 2 more.

Somethin a little different fellas
I love a Hammer Forged blade with wood scales - & Lon Humphrey makes a mighty fine blade.
His latest design is called the Parabellum. It's hammer forged 52100 blade steel with a blade length of 4.8" & an oal of 9.8" blade thickness is .180"
Weight is 7.9oz
The scales are Tasmanian Blackwood & man does this blade feel good in hand. I like it a lot.
As mentioned before, it's hammer forged 52100 steel & Lon does them all himself - he's basically a one man show
His hammer press is an old War War 1 era press - I love the hammer marks
Anyway, hers some pics - I will say that even though this is a carbon blade and will rust pretty easily, I've found Wicked Wax to be great at preventing that.
I've already used the knife a few times and the Wicked Wax is doing a great job
Pics are after I used it
Hope yall enjoy the pics

Anyone ever try making it?

If so post your feedback here.

PVA Osprey barrel chambered in 7-08 for Impact short action (737R, NBK). 18" light palma contour, 5/8-24 muzzle threads. Black cerakote. New, never fired.
$500 tyd

Left eject origin/TL3 223 bolt head. New. $105 shipped PP FF/Venmo/Zelle

Anyone have or try out any of these little rugers? Any thoughts? Probably typical decent ruger american quality and accuracy?


Thinking they'd be good beaters for my young boys. They love to shoot my rimfires, but so do I, so I need a couple more. Good excuse to grab a couple more cans, too.

I'd probably go with a couple of the distributer exclusive ones for the shorter bull barrels. Let the kids pick their favorite colors.

Looking for a good, reputable custom holster maker, to help with a couple of oddball pistol and light combinations.

Preferably within semi-reasonable driving distance of central MD, since shipping things is not an ideal situation

Been searching myself for a bit, but figured I’d ask here too and see if there were any suggestions.

Used with pictured blemishes on shroud short action TL3 firing pin. $105 shipped

I have 300 pieces of new Alpha brass and I'm working on prepping it. When I try to chamfer the outside with my RCBS tool, it seems like it just pushes the brass down and creates a lip around the outside of the case neck instead of putting a chamfer on it. I can run my fingernail up the side and it catches on it. With Lapua brass I can really easily chamfer the inside and outside. Any suggestions...is this normal for Alpha brass?

Super cal in great shape.

SOLD

Looking to sell my CZ 457 after switching to a RimX recently. This rifle was built in Dec/Jan of '24.
No complaints from this rifle, shoots amazingly with SK Match.
Parts List:
HB Industries Chassis
XLR TR-2 Stock
Anarchy Outdoors Testudo Grip RH
Area 419 20.5" Lilja Prefit Threaded
Area 419 30 MOA rail
Area 419 Bolt knob
RC Innovations Bag Rider (x3) (I helped test these)
Timney Flat Trigger
Magwell Flag
Anarchy Outdoors Extended Mag Release
3 Mags Included (Had 4, will ship for free if I find it)
Certain parts can be removed to lower the price.
Asking $1700 OBO Paypal F&F preferred but will do G&S for the right price.
Not looking for trades at this time.

Partial Trades added for FTF only in OH:
Ruger Mark IV 22/45
Volquartsen Mamba 22/45

Will add cash FTF only (OH) for:
CWA optics ready 1911-22

-Pelican 1720 foam cut for SCAR $60
Just foam.
-Blueforce Gear AOR1 overrun SCAR contract sling. $100

Please PM if you would like more pics.

Brand new MPA BA Comp in midnight bronze. Folding stock.

$1,100 shipped
Accept Venmo