A China-linked online influence campaign known as Spamouflage has resurfaced ahead of the US midterm elections, with suspected accounts impersonating American voters and sharing divisive posts about US politics, social issues and the electoral process, according to online analysts.
In a blog post published Friday, Graphika, a New York-based firm that monitors online activity, said it had detected Spamouflage-related accounts on X using tactics similar to those identified before the 2024 US presidential election.
The accounts have been spreading messages questioning the integrity of elections and the legitimacy of American democracy, the company said.
US intelligence and national security officials have repeatedly warned that Russia, China and Iran operate online influence campaigns targeting American voters ahead of elections. Unlike Russia, which has been accused of favouring particular candidates, China's efforts have largely focused on weakening public trust in US elections, voting and democratic institutions.
However, Liu Chang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, denied the allegations, saying China "has never and will never interfere in the U.S. elections."
Darren Linvill, co-director of Clemson University's Watt Family Innovation Center Media Forensics Hub, said the campaign was unlikely to influence actual political debates.
"Spamouflage is famously bad at mimicking real Americans," Linvill said, adding that the operation was not effective at shaping genuine political discussions.
Instead, the network has been more successful in restricting the flow of information, Linvill said. He noted that accounts associated with the campaign frequently target and harass members of the Chinese diaspora, reflecting Beijing's broader efforts to suppress opinions it opposes.
Graphika also identified an account that appeared to have replaced a previously removed Spamouflage-linked account. The account has shared divisive political messages, including criticism of Democratic Party leaders during the October 2025 US government shutdown and attacks on immigration policies.
The firm further identified four accounts with a history of Spamouflage activity that now promote MAGA-style identities. Another account, which has more than 200,000 followers and identifies itself as a Philippine culture blog, has shifted to sharing pro-China messages and divisive content targeting US audiences.
Graphika said it was unable to establish whether the latter account had been taken over by another operator or whether its original owner had sold it or otherwise lost control.