Observed Signal · Aug 22, 2018 · Policy Update · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Facebook shuts hundreds of propaganda accounts (Russia, Iran)
Facebook announced it removed 652 fanpages and groups from Russia and Iran that were used to disseminate propaganda through advertising. Iranian accounts were linked to state media and identified using publicly available registration information. The campaigns targeted the Middle East, Latin America, the United States, and the United Kingdom, while several pages suspected of ties to the Russian intelligence service focused on Syria and Ukraine. The company said the analysis is ongoing and that it is evaluating additional data, with cooperation from British and U.S. authorities. More details and examples are available in Facebook's official statement. This action underscores ongoing efforts to counter coordinated inauthentic behavior on the platform and reflects cross-border collaboration to address misinformation.
Major platform policy action against coordinated propaganda; cross-border authorities collaboration.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Facebook deleted 652 fanpages and groups from Russia and Iran that spread propaganda via Facebook advertising.
- Iranian accounts were linked to state media and identified using publicly available registration information.
- Campaigns targeted the Middle East, Latin America, the United States, and the United Kingdom; Russian-linked pages targeted Syria and Ukraine.
- Facebook is cooperating with British and U.S. authorities; information is awaiting further analysis in the official statement.
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