Truth Behind China’s Digital Troll Army – Is the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election at Risk ?

(Feat. 50 Cents Wumao Party & 2 Million Online Commentators)

Is China’s digital “Troll Army” already messing with the 2024 U.S. election? Well, reports are pointing in that direction. China’s Wumao Party – basically a digital squad of millions of online trolls – is out to stir things up, spreading disinformation and feeling online chaos. Which the election coming up, the real question is : Can these trolls actually sway voters, or are they just stirring the pot? Let’s dive in and see what’s really going on.

1. A research team from Harvard University, along with other experts, released a report on China’s organized online “comment army” known as the Wumao Party​. (Harvard Gazette)

2. The Wumao Party, also known as the “50 Cent Party,” refers to government-hired individuals who manipulate discussions on social media platforms to favor China ​(South China Morning Post).

3. This group influences discussions on platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube ​(The Diplomat).

4. Researchers analyzed posts from 2003 to 2024, focusing on how these operatives target global platforms​.

5. They identified accounts suspected of being run by Chinese nationals through unique IDs, translation patterns, and repetitive comments posted from the same accounts​.

6. These accounts were particularly active in pushing narratives related to tech, trade, and U.S. China relations.

7. Keywords like “Huawei,” “5G technology,” “electronic vehicles” and “U.S.-China trade war” revealed how these operatives concentrated their efforts to shape public opinion​.

8. The Wumao Party frequently participates in U.S. discussions on divisive topics like race, immigration, and economic policy​.

9. This organized network of commentators isn’t made up of freelancers​.

10. Instead, they are full-time employees of various Chinese government agencies.

11. These online commentators earned a base salary of 600 yuan with a bonus of 5 Mao (half a yuan).

12. The term Wumao Party combines “5 Mao” (the payment per comment) and “Party” (the Communist Party), reflecting how this group was financially motivated to post pro-China content online.

13. When converted to U.S. dollars, the base salary is about $90, with roughly 7 cents earned per comment.

14. Recently, the payment per comment increased from 5 Mao to 7 Mao but the group.

15. Although technically they could now be called the Qimao Party (7 Mao), the term Wumao Party remains widely used.

16. The “Wumao Party” operates on three levels : Strategists, Writers, and Distributors.

17. Strategists  provides the direction for how the comments should influence online discussions, Writers creates the content, and Distributors spreads it across various platforms​.

18. The Wumao Party is a term used by outsiders, while internally they refer to themselves as “Internet Commentators.”

19. The Chinese government found this tactic highly effective and expanded the initiative globally.

20. In 2007, former President Hu Jintao instructed the party to strengthen its control over online discussions worldwide.

21. Following this directive, the Communist Party officially organised an internet commentary team with tens of thousands of members.

22. The Wumao Party now consists of 280,000 full-time commentators, responsible for guiding online discussions. (South China Morning Post).

23. Including Part-time workers and prisoners working under the same directive, the total number of these online commentators reaches about 2 million.

24. As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, China-linked manipulation campaigns could become more active, especially targeting undecided voters​.

25. These efforts may focus on polarizing key election issues such as immigration, healthcare, gun control, abortion rights, and economic policy, which are expected to be highly viral during the election​.

26. Social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, X, and YouTube will likely see a surge of divisive content aimed at influencing public opinion.

27. Foreign actors, such as the Wumao Party, are likely to exploit U.S. social media to amplify political divisions, creating confusion and deepening partisan rifts​.

28. Swing states are expected to be a primary target for disinformation efforts, as undecided voters in these regions play a pivotal role in determining the outcome​.

29. Misinformation and fake accounts could create an exaggerated sense of polarization, making public opinion appear more divided than it truly is​.

30. In the 2020 election, we saw similar foreign interference through fake news and manipulated narratives, and these tactics are expected to intensify in 2024.

31. Voters should be aware that such campaigns aim to mislead and suppress turnout, targeting issues that stir emotional responses and sway votes​.

32. Comment sections and posts, especially in key battleground states, will likely be filled with disinformation intended to influence election outcomes​.

33. A former Wumao Party member who defected to Australia exposed the extent of China’s influence in manipulating public opinion online​.

34. This defector revealed that during Taiwan’s presidential election, China used 200,000 accounts to promote the Kuomintang candidate, showcasing how extensive the Wumao Party’s operations can be​.

35. Similar manipulation tactics could be deployed in the U.S., especially if online narratives appear significantly out of sync with general public sentiment.

36. As a result, voters should critically assess the information they encounter online and verify sources, especially during the intense election season​.

One-Liner Comment

China’s online troll army is no conspiracy theory—it’s happening, especially in the run-up to the 2024 U.S. election. These aren’t just random trolls, they’re Wumao Party operatives, fully employed by the Chinese government.

So, when you come across a suspicious comment, pause and think. Don’t get caught up in the noise—stay sharp, stay informed, and vote wisely.