Facebook removes dozens of fake news accounts from Pakistan

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 5 June 2021

Facebook has confirmed the removal of multiple fake accounts and pages from Pakistan. These accounts were involved in spreading fake news and violating platform policies.
Summary

ISLAMABAD—Facebook has confirmed removing dozens of fake Pakistani accounts and pages involved in spreading fake news and indulging in suspicious activities, The Express Tribune reported.

“We removed 40 Facebook accounts, 25 Pages, six Groups and 28 Instagram accounts for violating our policy against coordinated inauthentic behavior,” said Facebook in its annual report.

The network of fake Facebook accounts, originated in Pakistan, posed as international news entities, and primarily targeted domestic audiences. In addition, it was also focusing on English, Arabic, and Pashto-speaking audiences globally, it further said.

According to the Facebook report, people behind this unethical activity relied on the use of fake accounts—some of which were already detected and disabled by the automated systems—from posting content, managing pages, and driving people to their off-platform website and other social media channels. Many pages posed as international news entities and frequently shared what appears to be original video content.

“This network appeared to be active across multiple internet services and posted news and current events in the region, including the ongoing global pandemic; criticism of India and its treatment of Muslims, particularly in the Kashmir region; and also supportive commentary about Pakistan,” the report highlighted.

“We found this activity as a result of our internal investigation into the suspected coordinated inauthentic behavior with some links to the network we removed in April 2019.”

Facebook in its findings mentioned that some of these fake pages had been removed in the past over violating company’s community standards including hate speech.

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