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Is the AI backlash actually a Chinese psy-op?

When is foreign interference really to blame, and when is it a scapegoat?

Accusations of foreign interference have been making headlines this week.

Elon Musk鈥檚 X alleges that China has been stirring up a backlash against American data centres.

Israel and Russia have denied allegations from Spain鈥檚 prime minister that they鈥檙e partly to blame for the migrant crisis in Ceuta.

And Germany has accused Russia of being behind a spate of drone attacks at a German airport. Vladimir Putin has dismissed those claims and accused Germany of a 鈥榝alse flag鈥� operation.

We speak to the 麻豆社鈥檚 social media investigations correspondent, Marianna Spring, to examine the evidence 鈥� and ask whether foreign interference is really to blame in every case, or if it is just a convenient scapegoat.

Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Lucy Pawle

Digital producer: Charlie Firth

Mix: Travis Evans

Editor: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A drone view shows construction underway on Microsoft's ATL11 data center in Union City, Georgia, US. Credit: Brian Snyder/Reuters.

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27 minutes

Last on

Fri 4 Sep 2026 00:32GMT

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