Thread by @WilliamYang120

An incredible investigation by @propublica and @nytimes about how #China spreads its #Xinjiang propaganda through "testimonial videos." "An analysis of more than 3,000 of the videos evidence of an influence campaign orchestrated by the Chinese government." nytimes.com/interactive/20…

"Most of the clips carry no logos or other signs that they are official propaganda.
But taken together, the videos begin to reveal clues of broader coordination — such as the English subtitles in clips posted to YouTube and other Western platforms."

"Beijing is trying to use savvier and more forceful methods to broadcast its political messages to a worldwide audience. And Western internet platforms like Twitter and YouTube are playing a key part."

"Many of these videos of people in Xinjiang first appeared on a regional Communist Party news app. Then they showed up on YouTube and other global sites, with English subtitles added."

"On Twitter, a network of connected accounts shared the videos in ways that seemed designed to avoid the platform’s systems for detecting influence campaigns."

"China’s increasingly social media-fluent diplomats and state-run news outlets have since spread the testimonials to audiences of millions worldwide."

"They are, in essence, high-speed propaganda pipelines for Beijing. In just a few days, videos establishing the Communist Party’s version of reality can be shot, edited and amplified across the global internet."

"Most videos are in Chinese or Uyghur and follow the same basic script. The subject introduces herself, then explains how her own happy, prosperous life means there couldn’t possibly be repressive policies in Xinjiang. Here’s a typical clip, shot as a selfie."

"A four-character Chinese phrase meaning “born and raised” appears in at least 280 of the more than 2,000 videos attacking Mr. Pompeo that The Times and ProPublica found on YouTube and Twitter."

"The people in more than 1,000 of the videos say they have recently come across Mr. Pompeo’s remarks, most of them “on the internet” or on specific platforms such as Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok."

"This expression — “You’re speaking total nonsense” — and close variations of it appear in more than 600 of the videos."

"Establishing that government officials had a hand in making these testimonials is sometimes just a matter of asking.
In one clip, the owner of a used car dealership in Xinjiang says: “Pompeo, shut your mouth.”

Oops. Full link: nytimes.com/interactive/20…

"In another sign of government coordination, the language in the videos echoes written denunciations of Mr. Pompeo that Chinese state agencies issued during the same time."

"Beginning in late January, government workers across Xinjiang held meetings to “speak out and show the sword” against “Pompeo’s anti-China lies,” according to statements on official websites."