As India-China border tensions return to the headlines, social media is seeing a rise in viral videos, inflammatory claims and nationalist posts. While algorithms may be helping spread such content, there is not enough evidence to conclude that a single coordinated campaign is behind the trend.
The growing number of hostile posts has raised questions about whether people are reacting to border tensions or whether social media algorithms and misinformation networks are amplifying the issue.
Recent incidents offer some clues. On Monday, the Indian Army debunked a viral video claiming that Chinese vehicles had entered Indian territory illegally. The Army said the footage showed Chinese commercial vehicles at the authorised border trade point at Nathu La in Sikkim. It also identified 12 social media accounts that shared the video within about four and a half hours, describing the pattern as coordinated inauthentic behaviour.
A day earlier, the Army had warned against another video falsely claiming to show Indian troops beating and capturing Chinese soldiers. Another manipulated video wrongly attributed remarks about Chinese control of parts of Arunachal Pradesh to a senior Army officer.
These incidents show how misleading videos and false claims can exploit public concerns about national security and border disputes.
How algorithms amplify the content
Social media algorithms decide which posts appear in users' feeds. Likes, comments, shares and viewing time can influence how widely content is recommended.
This can create a cycle in which provocative posts attract attention, generate arguments and receive more engagement. As a result, platforms may show them to even more people.
Research published in PNAS Nexus in March 2025 found that engagement-based ranking on X increased the visibility of emotionally charged content targeting political opponents. However, this does not prove that algorithms are responsible for the current surge in India-China posts.
Is there a coordinated campaign?
The possibility cannot be ruled out, but it requires further investigation. Identical videos, repeated wording, closely timed posts and groups of accounts sharing the same claims can indicate coordinated activity.
The Army's identification of 12 accounts sharing the Nathu La video is one example of a suspicious posting pattern. However, this alone does not establish who was behind the accounts or whether a foreign government was involved.
Many users may also share misleading content because they believe it is genuine or want to express anger. The spread of a post can therefore result from a combination of genuine public reactions, algorithmic recommendations and deliberate efforts to amplify a claim.
The key question is whether the content is genuine, how it is spreading and whether there is reliable evidence of organised activity.