Facebook Removes Over 200 Fake Accounts Targeting Sudan, Pakistan
Last month, Facebook deleted more than 200 fake accounts, 55 pages, and 12 groups that were part of two networks that tried to manipulate public debates on its platform.
This information comes from the company’s latest monthly report on untrue acts coordinated on Facebook and Instagram. Facebook stated that one of the networks was “operated by a local citizen of Sudan on behalf of a Russian individual.”
The network appears to be mainly aimed at the people of Sudan and published in “pan-African news and current events,” including “relief aid initiatives in Sudan by Russian financier Yevgeniy Prigozhin, who was indicted by the US Justice Department.”
The second network is mainly aimed at audiences in Pakistan. Facebook said it published current news and events in the region, including the coronavirus pandemic and “criticism of India and its treatment of Muslims.”
Facebook stated that the action appeared to be related to a public relations company headquartered in Pakistan.
Since 2018, Facebook has been posting reports on coordinated untrue behavior on its platform, and this is how it describes disinformation campaigns aimed at widening political divisions.
Last month, the company also released a new transparency center designed to work towards the integrity and transparency of social networks as a single information destination.