Facebook has informed Australian lawmakers that networks of fake accounts originating from China are adapting and employing new tactics to spread discord abroad.

Speaking at a Senate inquiry into foreign interference, representatives from Meta, Facebook’s parent company, stated that there has been a noticeable shift in tactics by China-based networks over the past seven months.

These coordinated networks are now targeting journalists, charities, and public relations firms in their attempts to influence public opinion.

Meta recently removed multiple Facebook accounts associated with a China-based network engaged in a coordinated disinformation campaign in Europe, which included spreading inflammatory content against migrants and LGBTQ activists.

Australian lawmakers have been scrutinizing social media companies as the country intensifies its efforts to detect and combat foreign interference, particularly in the upcoming Indigenous rights referendum.

Meta has pledged to implement measures to combat misinformation during the referendum campaign.

Australia has been a leader in regulating digital platforms and has proposed new laws that could impose significant fines on tech giants for failing to address disinformation.