Odd that an academic paper would fail to mention the work of the UK company Bell Pottinger that conducted a deliberate, paid Twitter campaign with thousands of false account in 2018 with the intent to stoke a racial war (nevermind overturn democracy) in South Africa on behalf of the former president's faction and a family of Indian criminals.

From what I understand it bloody nearly succeeded. Perhaps the Chinese learnt from the great job the British did?

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/04/business/bell-pottinger-g...