China uses AI to accuse US of starting Maui wildfires

Pro-China operatives reputedly spread disinformation about an experimental US military weapon that allegedly caused the August 2023 Maui wildfires.

Starting mid-August 2023, the campaign used apparently AI-generated photographs and text to allege the British intelligence service MI6 had revealed that the US military used a 'weather weapon' to start the wildfires. According to a report by NewsGuard, the conspiracy theory could be traced to a post on Chinese platform 163.com in early August.

Researchers said the campaign comprised 85 social media accounts and blogs originating from China, and targeted users in multiple countries and 16 languages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a dozen other platforms. Meta confirmed to Gizmodo the accounts were part of China's deepfake 'Spamouflage' disinformation operation.

The impact of the Chinese campaign proved difficult to measure, but it appears unlikely to have gained much traction given the highly implausible nature of the claim.

System

• NewsGuard (2023). Pro-China Disinformation Campaign Claims US Started Maui Fires in a ‘Weather Weapons’ Experiment, Falsely Citing the UK’s MI6

Fact check 🚩

• Radio Free Asia (2023). Were Maui wildfires caused by a US weapons test?

News, commentary, analysis

• https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/11/us/politics/china-disinformation-ai.html

• https://gizmodo.com/weather-weapon-maui-fires-china-disinformation-1850826548

• https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/china-sows-disinformation-about-hawaii-fires-using-new-techniques

• https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-cybersecurity/2023/09/11/influence-campaign-spread-during-maui-wildfires-00114944