Big tech company Meta has removed thousands of accounts linked to Chinese law enforcement and online influence operations.
QUICK FACTS:
- Social media giant Meta has reportedly removed thousands of fake accounts from its platforms, which the company says were linked to China’s law enforcement agencies and the world’s largest online influence operation.
- In a new report published on Tuesday, Meta claims it purged accounts associated with a China-based operation nicknamed “Spamouflage” by the cybersecurity community.
- The company allegedly purged more than 7,700 Facebook accounts, 900 pages, 15 groups, and a number of Instagram accounts that were linked to spreading pro-Chinese communist and anti-U.S. propaganda.
- “The network was run by geographically dispersed operators across China who appear to have been centrally provisioned with internet access and content directions,” the report said.
- Spamouflage also created and attempted to distribute conspiracy theories reportedly intended to undermine confidence in the United States.
- Some of these conspiracies included stories claiming that COVID originated in the U.S. by contaminated seafood sent to China.
- “This network typically posted positive commentary about China and its province Xinjiang and criticisms of the United States, Western foreign policies, and critics of the Chinese government, including journalists and researchers,” the report continued.
META ON DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF FAKE ACCOUNTS LINKED TO CHINESE LAW ENFORCEMENT:
“Although the people behind this activity tried to conceal their identities and coordination, our investigation found links to individuals associated with Chinese law enforcement,” Meta said.
BACKGROUND:
- In September 2022, Meta announced that they disabled a network based in China that was attempting to cause political division ahead of the midterm elections.
- The social media company reportedly found about 80 accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter that were working to exacerbate “hot button” issues such as gun control and abortion.
- Posts from the groups first appeared in late 2021, posing as liberals calling out conservatives on gun control and abortion as well as picking on conservative lawmakers.
- The group also reportedly posed as conservatives, poking at leftist topics like calling out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden.
- While Meta seemed sure the campaign originated in China, they didn’t say whether it was connected to the Chinese government.
- The general messaging from the group was said to promote the mantra “America bad, China good.”
- Meta has taken an intense amount of heat from conservatives, particularly about issues of censorship, such as blocking content about Hunter Biden’s laptop.
- As American Faith previously reported, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg admitted to podcaster Joe Rogan that Facebook censored information about Hunter Biden’s laptop at the request of the FBI.
- According to Zuckerberg, law enforcement officials warned that there could be “Russian propaganda” ahead of the 2020 residential election.
