The Chinese disinformation campaign known as Spamouflage has honed its focus on U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, employing new tactics to test the effectiveness of its influence operations. Researchers from Clemson University have observed Spamouflage targeting Rubio’s X account, marking a shift from their 2022 strategy, which involved flooding social media with supportive but poorly crafted content. This historical approach aims to drown out genuine messages and create noise that makes it difficult for real discourse to be heard – to sweep an unflattering topic under the rug. In their latest efforts, Spamouflage has shifted to using more authentic-looking hijacked accounts to spread anti-Rubio content across platforms such as X, Reddit, and Medium. The content is notably well-written, potentially leveraging AI or large language models (LLMs) to create material. This evolution in tactics away from boosting narratives suggests an alignment with Russian disinformation strategies, focusing on creating divisions and highlighting U.S. domestic issues. Senator Rubio, a known critic of China, has acknowledged the increasing aggression of China’s information operations, stressing the importance of addressing these efforts. Researchers warn against underestimating China’s sophistication in conducting influence campaigns, emphasizing the nuanced and complex nature of their operations.