USA – Oct 23 (Reuters) – An army of Chinese-controlled social media bots is attempting to influence voters in Alabama, Texas and Tennessee, while denigrating U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, according to new research published on Wednesday by Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab. The operation represents a coordinated interference effort against down-ballot races, experts say, in which the fake accounts are denigrating U.S. Representative Barry Moore of Alabama, U.S. Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and Rubio, all Republicans.

The troll network has “parroted antisemitic messages, amplified accusations of corruption and promoted opposition candidates,” according to Microsoft. The group responsible is known as Taizi Flood, which has been previously associated with China’s Ministry of Public Security, researchers say. The lawmakers were each targeted because they had denounced Chinese government policies historically, the report notes.

A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington said China “has no intention and will not interfere in the U.S. election” and that such claims are “full of malicious speculations.” Among other things, the bots criticized Moore’s support for Israel and used antisemitic language. Another collective of related accounts claimed Rubio was part of a financial corruption scheme. The bots amplified support for Blackburn’s election rival while spreading claims she took money from pharmaceutical companies. With McCaul, they pushed narratives that he engaged in insider trading. (Reuters)…[+]