OpenAI bans China-origin accounts using ChatGPT to generate US polarization content

Operation “Uncle Spam”: US polarization influence activity

OpenAI banned a set of China-origin ChatGPT accounts, dubbed 'Uncle Spam,' after a tip from Meta. The accounts used models to generate pro- and anti-tariff posts, create fake US veteran profile images, and write code to scrape user data from X and Bluesky. The content pushed both sides of divisive topics but got almost no real engagement—most posts had zero likes or reposts. OpenAI rates the impact as Category 2 on the Brookings Breakout Scale: multi-platform activity with no breakout.

Why it matters: Official OpenAI disclosure with a codename and behavioral specifics, not a generic threat report. Hits all three HKR axes, but it's a safety incident notice rather than a product/model update, so it lands in the 78-84 'worth recommending' band.