A new report out today from Google LLC’s Threat Intelligence Group reveals the discovery of a coordinated network of fake news sites run by four digital PR firms.

The four companies, collectively known as Glassbridge, include Shanghai Haixun Technology Co. Ltd. and Shenzhen Bowen Media Co. Ltd., two Chinese companies found to be distributing content for the People’s Republic of China while posing as independent media outlets. Google has blocked more than 1,000 such sites from its platforms, citing violations of editorial transparency policies and misleading behavior.

Shanghai Haixun Technology is the most prolific among the companies and was found to have operated more than 600 domains removed by Google. It also uses news services such as the Times Newswire and freelance platforms to amplify messages for Beijing.

The other company, Shenzhen Bowen Media, was found to operate more than 100 domains posing as localized stores. Bowen mixes China-tailored content with regional news in multiple languages, such as French, Thai and German.

According to Google, the Glassbridge network uses sophisticated tactics to create the illusion of independent journalism. The companies are widely creating websites designed to mimic legitimate local news outlets, mixing recycled content from Chinese state media with local news, a strategy that allows them to target diverse audiences across regions such as Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas while they maintain a veneer of credibility.

Another entity involved in the operation was found to be Durinbrige Sdn. Bhd., a Malaysia-based marketing company. Although Durinbrige was not found to be directly tied to China, the company was found to be distributing pro-PRC narratives through more than 200 websites. These include articles from Dragonbridge, a prolific player tracked by Google, focusing on topics such as Taiwan’s presidential election and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Among the various tactics used by the groups was the use of freelance platforms such as Fiverr International Ltd. For example, Shanghai Haixun Technology was found to have hired individuals to promote social media content through Fiverr to amplify PRC messages to a wider audience. The approach allows the companies to outsource much of their work while hiding their direct involvement.

While Chinese companies feature prominently in the report, Google researchers note that the coordinated influence campaigns are not limited to China. Similar behavior has been observed from Russian and Iranian actors with campaigns that often leverage digital PR firms and news services to create plausible deniability, making it difficult to trace the true source of the stories being pushed.

“The fake news sites operated by Glassbridge illustrate how information operations actors have adopted methods beyond social media in an effort to spread their stories,” the researchers write. “By posing as independent and often local news outlets, news actors can tailor their content to specific regional audiences and present their stories as ostensibly legitimate news and editorial content.”

The researchers added that “Google is committed to information transparency and we will continue to track Glassbridge and block their inauthentic content on Google platforms.”

Image: SiliconANGLE/Ideogram