Chronicle Reporting Used in Chinese Bot Campaign -
A suspected Chinese influence network amplified Southern Maryland Chronicle reports on data centers and electricity prices as part of an online campaign to manipulate American AI and energy policy debates. The campaign falsely claimed significant electricity price increases due to data centers, though the Chronicle's original reporting on PJM capacity costs was accurate. In Charles County, residents actively opposed a data center zoning amendment, leading county commissioners to withdraw the proposal.
A suspected Chinese influence network reportedly amplified news from The Southern Maryland Chronicle concerning data centers, electricity prices, and the PJM power grid. This online operation, identified by X (formerly Twitter), aimed to manipulate American public discourse on artificial intelligence and energy policy. X's safety team uncovered approximately 200,000 inauthentic Chinese accounts, with about 200 of these specifically disseminating material designed to influence the AI and energy policy debate.
The accounts made unsubstantiated claims that AI data centers were causing substantial increases in household electricity prices and overburdening the power grid, including an erroneous claim of a 76% price hike by PJM. While the Chronicle's original reporting accurately detailed PJM's capacity auction results, showing increases of 22% and 1.3% in recent auctions, PJM Executive Vice President Stu Bresler had previously noted that data centers constituted a "majority" of projected electricity demand increases. David M. Higgins II, Publisher of The Southern Maryland Chronicle, stated that his publication had no knowledge of or involvement with the promotion by these suspected foreign accounts.
Independent research, including analysis by Clemson University's Darren Linvill, indicated that the campaign's reach to a genuine American audience might have been limited due to low engagement on many bot accounts. Separately, OpenAI disclosed that it had disrupted a similar Chinese-linked operation that used ChatGPT to generate content regarding grid operators' capacity auction prices. These incidents underscore how foreign influence operations can selectively use legitimate news to advance their narratives.
Domestically, a significant debate over data center development is ongoing in Southern Maryland, independent of the bot activity. In Charles County, the Planning Commission twice recommended the denial of a proposed data center zoning amendment. Following a public hearing where opponents voiced concerns over noise, water usage, and farmland loss, the County Commissioners fully withdrew the amendment on July 21, opting instead to establish a task force and consult external experts for future proposals.