Commentary In the online world, a group of people endangers the safety and health of the internet, and Chinese netizens call them the “cyber triad.” Among the groups are the Chinese regime’s internet trolls, known as “wumao dang” in Chinese or “50 cent army.” These internet trolls pose a threat to personal data and national security. They carried out the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s disinformation campaigns with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong’s anti-extradition bill protests, Taiwan’s 2020 election, and the U.S. 2020 election, and other major international events. The History of the CCP’s Internet Trolls The CCP’s internet trolls, described in a study (pdf) as “for-hire astroturfers working for and advancing the interests of companies and other actors willing to pay their fees,” are one of the largest criminal organizations. Based on the historical data of major search engines, commercial trolls have been emerging on the internet since …
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