Federal security officials say they’ve found an online information operation linked to the Chinese government that has targeted Liberal Leader Mark Carney.
The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force says it traced the operation to Youli-Youmian, the most popular news account on the social media platform WeChat.
Intelligence reports link the Youli-Youmian account to the Chinese Communist Party’s central political and legal affairs commission.
Federal officials say “contrasting narratives” were spread on WeChat “amplifying” Carney’s stance on the United States and targeting his experience and credentials.
The task force reports seeing large increases in what it calls “co-ordinated, inauthentic” online behaviour on March 10 — before the federal election was called — and again during the writ period on March 25.
Federal officials say a panel of senior bureaucrats that monitors elections has determined that this activity is not affecting Canada’s ability to hold a free and fair vote.
Following increasing levels of engagement with the online platform, a Liberal party representative was briefed on April 6, says a media statement from the Privy Council Office.
The task force will be raising its concerns with Tencent, the developer of WeChat, the media statement adds.
“This case is contained to one platform and has not spread further, nor is it affecting Canadians’ abilities to make an informed decision about their vote,” the statement says.
“However, it is important for voters to be aware of this type of activity, and to be cautious with the information they might be seeing both online and offline.”
More to come.
