Meta takes down China-based network of thousands of fake accounts

Meta recently eradicated a network comprising thousands of deceptive accounts originating from China. These accounts, masquerading as Americans, aimed to disseminate divisive content concerning US politics and US-China relations. Covering diverse topics like abortion, culture wars, and aid to Ukraine, the China-based network, totaling over 4,700 accounts, used profile pictures and names replicated from global users.

While Meta didn't directly link these profiles to Beijing officials, it observed a surge in such Chinese networks leading up to the 2024 US elections. China currently ranks as the third-largest source of such networks globally, following Russia and Iran, as reported in Meta's quarterly threat report released on Thursday. The network in question engaged in coordinated activities, sharing and liking each other's posts, often borrowing content directly from Twitter.

These accounts displayed no consistent ideological stance, copying verbatim posts from various US politicians, both Republicans and Democrats, such as Nancy Pelosi, Gretchen Whitmer, Ron DeSantis, Matt Gaetz, and Jim Jordan. Meta disclosed examples indicating that the network reposted content from politicians like Democrat Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, criticizing Texas's abortion laws, and Republican Representative Ronny Jackson, emphasizing opposition to taxpayer-funded travel for abortions.

Meta's report highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the intent behind this approach, questioning whether it aimed to escalate partisan tensions, build audiences among politicians' supporters, or lend authenticity to fake accounts sharing genuine content.

The company's moderation rules prohibit "coordinated inauthentic behavior," where groups of accounts collaborate using false identities to mislead users. While the shared content often references accurate news stories, the primary purpose is to manipulate public opinion, foster division, and exaggerate the popularity of specific viewpoints.

Despite the large Chinese network being thwarted before gaining traction among real users, Meta remains vigilant, acknowledging the ongoing challenges posed by foreign threat actors attempting to influence people online, especially in the lead-up to the next year's elections.

Meta also disclosed the discovery of two smaller networks—one in China focusing on India and Tibet and another in Russia, predominantly posting in English about the Ukraine invasion and promoting Telegram channels. The report noted the increasing focus of Russian networks on the war in Ukraine, attempting to undermine international support for Kyiv.

Additionally, Meta highlighted the cessation of information sharing by the US government about foreign influence networks in July, following a federal ruling tied to a legal case over the First Amendment. This case forms part of a broader debate on whether the US government collaborates with tech companies to potentially restrict the free speech of social media users.

#MetaTakedowns #ChinaNetworksExposed #PoliticalManipulation #ForeignInfluence #USPoliticsDeception #SocialMediaAlert #ElectionIntegrity #MisleadingContent #GlobalDisinformation #OnlineManipulation #DigitalThreats #AuthenticityMatters #SocialMediaDeception #ForeignInterference #InfoWarfareAlert