Political disinformation aimed at voters on Chinese social media platforms has surged over the past five years—and intensified during the current federal election campaign.
According to a research report seen by 9news.com.au, thousands of instances of misleading or factually incorrect political content were documented on Mandarin-language apps such as WeChat and RedNote.
The findings, part of the RECapture project led by University of Melbourne research fellow Dr Fan Yang, reveal widespread dissemination of exaggerated or false claims targeting both major parties.
Much of this misinformation is driven by actors with commercial interests, particularly in the migration, real estate, and education sectors.
