Google removed hundreds of fake news websites linked to a pro-China influence operation called Glassbridge. The sites posed as independent news outlets but published propaganda aligned with Beijing’s political interests.
The tech giant’s Threat Analysis Group identified four companies, Shanghai Haixun Technology, Haimai, DURINBRIDGE and Shenzhen Bowen Media, responsible for creating and operating these fake domains. Since 2022, Google has blocked more than 1,000 websites and domains from appearing in its search results, including Google News and Google Discover, for violating policies against deceptive behavior and lack of editorial transparency.
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Shanghai Haixun Technology was the most prolific offender, operating over 600 policy-violating domains targeting audiences in countries such as Brazil, India, Kenya and Vietnam. The sites often republished articles from Chinese state media or included politically charged content on topics like the South China Sea, Taiwan, Xinjiang and COVID-19.
Other companies involved targeted specific regions and audiences. Paperwall operated more than 100 websites masquerading as local outlets across 30 countries, while DURINBRIDGE managed over 200 domains. Shenzhen Bowen Media focused on presenting pro-China narratives in localized contexts.
Google noted these operations leveraged PR firms to obscure their connections to the Chinese government, allowing the actors behind the campaigns to maintain plausible deniability. Researchers also highlighted similarities to influence campaigns linked to Russia and Iran.
The use of fake news websites and repurposed content marks a shift in information operations, which have traditionally relied on social media platforms. Google warned that the rise of AI-generated content poses growing challenges in combating misinformation.
Tags: China, cyber crimes, Cybersecurity, Disinformation, Google, Google Chrome, Google Cloud, Google search, Misinformation, People’s Republic of China
GOOGLE RECENTLY UNCOVERED A GLOBAL FAKE NEWS OPERATION PUSHING PRO-CHINA PROPAGANDA… AND THEY’RE CRACKING DOWN HARD.
GOOGLE’S THREAT ANALYSIS GROUP AND CYBERSECURITY FIRM ‘MANDIANT’ IDENTIFIED AND REMOVED HUNDREDS OF FAKE NEWS SITES AND NEWSWIRE DOMAINS FROM GOOGLE NEWS AND GOOGLE DISCOVER. ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, THESE SITES WERE ALL LINKED TO AN OPERATION CALLED GLASSBRIDGE, INVOLVING FOUR CHINA-BASED PR COMPANIES.
THE COMPANIES… SHANGHAI HI-SHIN TECHNOLOGY, HI-MY, DURINBRIDGE, AND SHENZHEN BOWEN MEDIA… CREATED FAKE NEWS WEBSITES POSING AS INDEPENDENT, LOCAL OUTLETS. BUT THE CONTENT WAS ALL ALIGNED WITH CHINESE GOVERNMENT NARRATIVES… WITH TOPICS RANGING FROM BEIJING’S TERRITORIAL CLAIMS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND TAIWAN, TO FALUN GONG AND COVID-19.
GOOGLE BLOCKED OVER A THOUSAND WEBSITES TIED TO THIS OPERATION SINCE 2022, INCLUDING 600 DOMAINS FROM THE MOST PROLIFIC PLAYER, SHANGHAI HI-SHIN TECHNOLOGY.
OTHER KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE PAPERWALL, A PRO-PRC COORDINATED INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN OPERATING OVER 100 SITES ACROSS 30 COUNTRIES.
THESE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS DIDN’T JUST PUBLISH CONTENT… THEY MANIPULATED THEIR APPEARANCE TO SEEM LEGITIMATE, EVEN COPYING ARTICLES FROM REAL NEWS OUTLETS AND BLENDING THEM WITH PROPAGANDA.
OTHER TECHNIQUES INCLUDED USING AI TOOLS TO CREATE LOW-QUALITY, MASS-PRODUCED CONTENT DESCRIBED AS “PINK SLIME” JOURNALISM.
THE GLASSBRIDGE OPERATION REPRESENTS A BIGGER PICTURE ON THE TRAJECTORY OF MISINFORMATION… WITH A SHIFT BEYOND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR INFLUENCE OPERATIONS, USING PSEUDO-LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS TO SPREAD NARRATIVES UNDER THE GUISE OF LEGITIMACY.
AND IT’S NOT JUST A CHINA PROBLEM… GOOGLE SAYS THEY’VE SEEN SIMILAR TACTICS USED BY RUSSIA AND IRAN… AIMING TO OBSCURE THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE INFORMATION.
THE THREAT ANALYSIS GROUP SAYS GOOGLE IS STEPPING UP ITS EFFORTS TO CURB DECEPTIVE BEHAVIOR ONLINE. BUT WITH THE RISE OF AI TOOLS AND DIMINISHING LOCAL JOURNALISM WORLDWIDE, THE CHALLENGE TO KEEP MISINFORMATION IN CHECK IS ONLY GROWING.
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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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