Facebook removes over 200 fake accounts targeting Sudan, Pakistan
The social media giant in May took down two coordinated campaigns that sought to manipulate public debate.
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Facebook last month took down more than 200 fake accounts, 55 pages and 12 groups that were part of two networks trying to manipulate public debate on its platforms. The info comes from company's latest monthly report on coordinated inauthentic behavior on Facebook and Instagram .
One network was "operated by local nationals in Sudan on behalf of individuals in Russia," Facebook said. This network appeared to mainly target people in Sudan, and posted about "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 primarily targeted audiences in Pakistan. Facebook said it posted about news and current events in the region, including the coronavirus pandemic and "criticism of India and its treatment of Muslims." The operation appears to be linked to a Pakistan-based PR firm, Facebook said.
Facebook has been publishing reports on coordinated inauthentic behavior -- which is how it describes misinformation campaigns designed to widen political divides -- on its platforms since 2018.
Last month, the company also published a new Transparency Center that's meant to serve as a single destination for information around the social network's integrity and transparency efforts.