This research debunks speculation that a major state-backed campaign was deployed to influence political discourse in Australia on social media. The research analysed more than 69,000 tweets, from two low-points in Australia-China relations in 2020, and found no evidence the CCP was using bots to shape political conversation on the social media site.

This project develops a model for providing accountability for 'dark ads' on Australia’s most popular social media platform, Facebook. By showing what accountability looks like, the research reminds us just how dramatically the online advertising environment has shifted.