Cross-Platform Analysis of Troll Activities and Foreign Influence in the U.S. Presidential Election of September 2024
Key Findings
From September 1 to September 30, 2024, Taiwan AI Labs’ analysis identified the most active troll groups on each platform—YouTube @72, Facebook @70033, Twitter @10946, TikTok @144, and Weibo @2526—all of which were linked to foreign influence. These groups employed strategies aligned with Russian and Chinese state media, downplaying the threat of Russian interference in the U.S. election while portraying both Trump and Harris as “colluding with Russia.” Their primary objective was to convince voters that, regardless of who wins, authoritarian interference was inevitable. This tactic aimed to undermine the credibility of the U.S. electoral system and erode public trust in American democracy.
Additionally, Twitter @10946 amplified concerns over Trump potentially abandoning NATO, stirring fears of division within democratic alliances and threats to international security. On the other hand, YouTube @72 and Weibo @2526 manipulated narratives around U.S. and EU tariffs on China, seeking to provoke discontent among the middle class toward the U.S. government. Notably, Weibo, traditionally used for China’s internal propaganda, externalized domestic economic struggles to divert attention from China’s ongoing economic decline.
Executive Summary
From September 1 to September 30, 2024, Taiwan AI Labs monitored 125 key battlefields and 695 media reports related to the U.S. presidential election. Among these, 89 reports (12.81%) were linked to Chinese and Russian state-affiliated media. Out of 15,760 identified troll accounts involved in the election discussions, these contributed to a total volume of 500,224 social media comments, with 6.11% (30,562) being troll-related. Three major battlefields, accounting for approximately 50% of observed troll volumes, were:
- Putin claims to prefer Harris over Trump (23%)
- U.S. accuses Russian propaganda outlet RT of interference in 2024 election (12%)
- GOP strategist says Trump’s false pet-eating claims at debate only hurt him (15%)
We first observed a rapid spike in Facebook and Twitter posts after Trump’s “immigrants eating dogs and cats” remark during the September 11 presidential debate (Taiwan time). This battlefield sparked widespread discussion and dissemination in a short time. However, within a few hours, the impact of Twitter posts declined significantly, while Facebook posts maintained relatively stable engagement. This difference highlights a strong initial reaction on social media, with discussions on Twitter being suppressed over time, while Facebook discussions remained steady for a longer period.
On the other hand, our analysis of Russian and Chinese state-affiliated media identified three key strategies: portraying Trump and Harris as “cooperating with Russia,” downplaying the threat of foreign interference, and criticizing U.S. tariff policies toward Russia and China. We further examined the troll strategies on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Weibo, identifying the most active troll groups on each platform that aligned with these state media strategies and were influenced by foreign entities: YouTube @72, Facebook @70033, Twitter @10946, TikTok @144, and Weibo @2526. All these groups were linked to foreign influence. Below are the methods these main troll groups leveraged to echo state media narratives.
YouTube @72 attacks both Trump and Harris, portraying them as puppets controlled by Putin. It mocks the Republican Party as mere pawns of Russian interests, claiming that if Trump wins, Putin will take over the U.S. Harris is ridiculed as weak and ignorant, with Putin’s support for her framed as evidence that she is a Russian spy and unfit for the presidency. Additionally, in June, YouTube @72 amplified the narrative regarding EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, arguing that the tariffs harm European consumers rather than China.
Facebook @70033 amplifies the narrative of Putin supporting Harris and Trump’s dissatisfaction with it. It claims Putin supports Harris because a female-led U.S. would become weak, mocking Harris not only as an unfit presidential candidate but also as someone favored by Putin.
Twitter @10946 focuses on attacking Harris’s campaign and downplays concerns about Russian interference in the election. It mocks the interference as a “Democratic hoax,” claiming the party is reusing the Russia narrative to manipulate voters. Additionally, it amplifies the “Hunter Biden laptop” controversy, shifting focus from Russian interference to a narrative portraying the Democrats as being close to China. In February, Twitter @10946 pushed the idea that Trump threatened to stop defending NATO allies, reinforcing the image of Trump as Putin’s puppet and a traitor to democracy, stoking fears that Trump might abandon NATO and empower Russia in Europe.
TikTok @144 targets Trump’s campaign, portraying him as a corrupt fraud controlled by Putin and a traitor to democracy. It ridicules Trump’s debate claims about immigrants eating pets as absurd and mocks him for avoiding a second debate with Harris.
Weibo @2526 uses sarcasm to downplay concerns about Russian interference in the U.S. election, amplifying Putin’s support for Harris and portraying her as colluding with Russia. It also emphasizes that the controversy around “Trump-Russia collusion” is unresolved, lauding Putin for backing both Harris and Trump, which confuses American voters and angers the Biden administration. Weibo @2526 also pushed the narrative that Trump and Biden’s tariff policies harm American consumers, particularly the middle class, rather than affecting China.
Download full report : Cross-Platform Analysis of Troll Activities and Foreign Influence in the U.S. Presidential Election of September 2024
