Facebook Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==== Influence Operations and Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior ==== In 2018, Facebook stated that during 2018 they had identified "coordinated inauthentic behavior" in "many Pages, Groups and accounts created to stir up political debate, including in the US, the Middle East, Russia and the UK."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gleicher|first1=Nathaniel|last2=Rodriguez|first2=Oscar|title=Removing Additional Inauthentic Activity from Facebook|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/10/removing-inauthentic-activity/|publisher=Facebook Newsroom|access-date=May 27, 2019|date=October 11, 2018}}</ref> Campaigns operated by the British intelligence agency unit, called [[Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group]], have broadly fallen into two categories; cyber attacks and propaganda efforts. The propaganda efforts utilize "mass messaging" and the "pushing [of] stories" via social media sites like Facebook.<ref>{{cite web|title=Snowden Docs: British Spies Used Sex and 'Dirty Tricks'|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/snowden-docs-british-spies-used-sex-dirty-tricks-n23091|work=[[NBC News]]|date=February 7, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Snowden leaks: GCHQ 'attacked Anonymous' hackers|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26049448|work=[[BBC News]]|date=February 5, 2014}}</ref> Israel's [[Jewish Internet Defense Force]], the [[Chinese Communist Party]]'s [[50 Cent Party]] and Turkey's [[AK Trolls]] also focus their attention on social media platforms like Facebook.<ref>{{cite news|title=China's 'troll factory' targeting Taiwan with disinformation prior to election|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3568146|work=Taiwan News|date=May 11, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Trolls, bots and shutdowns: This is how Turkey manipulates public opinion|url=https://ahvalnews.com/freedoms/trolls-bots-and-shutdowns-how-turkey-manipulates-public-opinion|work=Ahval|date=November 17, 2017|access-date=May 27, 2019|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111190541/https://ahvalnews.com/freedoms/trolls-bots-and-shutdowns-how-turkey-manipulates-public-opinion|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jewish Internet Defense Force 'seizes control' of anti-Israel Facebook group|url=https://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Jewish-Internet-Defense-Force-seizes-control-of-anti-Israel-Facebook-group|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=July 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Morrison |first=Sarah |title=Jewish Activist Battles For Israel on Facebook |newspaper=Israel National News |date=March 4, 2008 |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125783 }}{{better source needed|date=July 2022}}</ref> In July 2018, Samantha Bradshaw, co-author of the report from the [[Oxford Internet Institute]] (OII) at [[Oxford University]], said that "The number of countries where formally organised [[social media manipulation]] occurs has greatly increased, from 28 to 48 countries globally. The majority of growth comes from political parties who spread [[disinformation]] and junk news around election periods."<ref>{{cite news|title=Social media manipulation rising globally, new report warns|url=http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2018-07-20-social-media-manipulation-rising-globally-new-report-warns|publisher=University of Oxford|date=July 20, 2018}}</ref> In October 2018, ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported that Facebook "banned hundreds of pages and accounts that it says were fraudulently flooding its site with partisan political content – although they came from the United States instead of being associated with [[Russia]]."<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook: Most political trolls are American, not Russian|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/10/11/facebook-political-trolls-american-not-russian/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/10/11/facebook-political-trolls-american-not-russian/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|date=October 12, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In December 2018, ''The Washington Post'' reported that "Facebook has suspended the account of Jonathon Morgan, the chief executive of a top social media research firm" [[New Knowledge]], "after reports that he and others engaged in an operation to spread disinformation" on Facebook and Twitter during the [[2017 United States Senate special election in Alabama]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Facebook suspends five accounts, including that of a social media researcher, for misleading tactics in Alabama election |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/22/facebook-suspends-five-accounts-including-social-media-researcher-misleading-tactics-alabama-election/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=December 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Democratic operatives created fake Russian bots designed to link Kremlin to Roy Moore in Alabama race |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democratic-operatives-created-fake-russian-bots-in-alabama-race-designed-to-link-kremlin-to-republican-roy-moore |work=[[Fox News]] |date=December 20, 2018}}</ref> In January 2019, Facebook said it has removed 783 Iran-linked accounts, pages and groups for engaging in what it called "coordinated inauthentic behaviour".<ref>{{cite news|title=Facebook Says It Removed 783 Accounts Tied to an Iranian Manipulation Campaign|url=http://fortune.com/2019/01/31/facebook-manipulation-campaign-iran-fake-news/|work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|date=January 31, 2019}}</ref> In March 2019, Facebook sued four Chinese firms for selling "fake accounts, likes and followers" to amplify Chinese [[state media]] outlets.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 20, 2019 |title=China is using Facebook to build a huge audience around the world |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |url=https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/04/20/china-is-using-facebook-to-build-a-huge-audience-around-the-world |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 19, 2023 |issn=0013-0613 |quote=Facebook pages usually gain followers when people share posts with their friends. Chinese outlets receive far fewer shares than Western ones do, which implies that they use some other tactic to amass fans. Facebook has already accused Chinese actors of skullduggery. In March it sued four Chinese firms, which it said had sold "fake accounts, likes and followers".}}</ref> In May 2019, [[Tel Aviv]]-based private intelligence agency [[Archimedes Group]] was banned from Facebook for "coordinated inauthentic behavior" after Facebook found fake users in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48349671|title=Is Facebook undermining democracy in Africa?|last=Madowo|first=Larry|date=May 24, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref> Facebook investigations revealed that Archimedes had spent some $1.1 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1100000|2019}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) on fake ads, paid for in Brazilian reais, Israeli shekels and US dollars.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/change-reality-facebook-busts-israel-based-campaign-to-disrupt-elections-20190517-p51oad.html|title='Change reality': Facebook busts Israel-based campaign to disrupt elections|last1=Debre|first1=Isabel|last2=Satter|first2=Raphael|date=May 16, 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref> Facebook gave examples of Archimedes Group political interference in Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Angola, Niger and Tunisia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2019/05/removing-coordinated-inauthentic-behavior-from-israel/|title=Removing Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior From Israel {{!}} Facebook Newsroom|date=May 16, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref> The Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab said in a report that "The tactics employed by Archimedes Group, a private company, closely resemble the types of information warfare tactics often used by governments, and the Kremlin in particular."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/16/tech/facebook-takedown-israeli-company/index.html|title=Facebook says Israeli company used fake accounts to target African elections|last1=O'Sullivan|first1=Donie|last2=Gold|first2=Hadas|department=CNN Business|website=CNN|date=May 16, 2019|access-date=June 8, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-bans-israeli-firm-over-fake-political-activity-11558030115|title=Facebook Bans Israeli Firm Over Fake Political Activity|last=Needleman|first=Sarah E.|date=May 16, 2019|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=June 8, 2019|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> On May 23, 2019, Facebook released its Community Standards Enforcement Report highlighting that it has identified several fake accounts through artificial intelligence and human monitoring. In a period of six months, October 2018 – March 2019, the social media website removed a total of 3.39 billion fake accounts. The number of fake accounts was reported to be more than 2.4 billion real people on the platform.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/05/23/726353723/facebook-removed-nearly-3-2-billion-fake-accounts-in-last-six-months|title=Facebook Removed Nearly 3.4 Billion Fake Accounts in 6 Months|newspaper=[[NPR]]|date=May 23, 2019|access-date=May 23, 2019|publisher=[[NPR]]|last1=Romo|first1=Vanessa|last2=Held|first2=Amy}}</ref> In July 2019, Facebook advanced its measures to counter deceptive political propaganda and other abuse of its services. The company removed more than 1,800 accounts and pages that were being operated from Russia, Thailand, Ukraine and Honduras.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-accounts/facebook-removes-fake-accounts-from-thailand-russia-ukraine-honduras-idUSKCN1UK0KE|title=Facebook removes fake accounts from Thailand, Russia, Ukraine, Honduras|access-date=July 25, 2019|work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it was announced that the internet regulatory committee would block access to Facebook.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 4, 2022 |title=Russia blocks access to Facebook |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/04/russia-blocks-facebook/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=[[TechCrunch]] |language=en-US}}</ref> On October 30, 2019, Facebook deleted several accounts of the employees working at the Israeli [[NSO Group]], stating that the accounts were "deleted for not following our terms". The deletions came after WhatsApp sued the Israeli surveillance firm for targeting 1,400 devices with [[spyware]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://qudsnen.co/facebook-deletes-accounts-of-workers-at-nso-israeli-firm/|title=Facebook deletes accounts of workers at NSO Israeli firm|access-date=November 1, 2019|website=Quds News Network|date=November 2019|archive-date=August 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817171324/https://qudsnen.co/facebook-deletes-accounts-of-workers-at-nso-israeli-firm/|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{anchor|American Edge}} In 2020, Facebook helped found [[American Edge]], an anti-regulation [[lobbying firm]] to fight anti-trust probes.<ref name="ae">{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/05/12/facebook-lobbying-american-edge/ |title=Facebook Helps Launch American Edge, a Dark-Money Advocacy Group for Big Tech |date=May 12, 2020 |access-date=May 12, 2020 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en-US |last=Romm |first=Tony}}</ref> The group runs ads that "fail to mention what legislation concerns them, how those concerns could be fixed, or how the horrors they warn of could actually happen", and do not clearly disclose that they are funded by Facebook.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/history-repeats-itself-with-big-techs-misleading-advertising/ |accessdate=August 26, 2023 |title=History repeats itself with Big Tech's misleading advertising |first=Tom |last=Wheeler |date=June 15, 2022 |publisher=[[Brookings Institution]]}}</ref> In 2020, the government of Thailand forced Facebook to take down a Facebook group called Royalist Marketplace with one million members following potentially illegal posts shared. The authorities have also threatened Facebook with legal action. In response, Facebook is planning to take legal action against the Thai government for suppression of freedom of expression and violation of human rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/24/tech/facebook-blocks-thailand-group/index.html|title=Facebook prepares legal action against Thai government's order to block group|access-date=August 25, 2020|website=CNN International|date=August 24, 2020 }}</ref> In February 2021, Facebook removed the main page of the Myanmar military, after two protesters were shot and killed during the [[2021 Myanmar protests|anti-coup protests]]. Facebook said that the page breached its guidelines that prohibit the incitement of violence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-21/facebook-removes-main-page-of-myanmar-military/13176760|title=Facebook removes main page of Myanmar military for 'incitement of violence'|access-date=February 21, 2021|website=ABC News|date=February 21, 2021}}</ref> On February 25, Facebook announced to ban all accounts of the Myanmar military, along with the "[[Tatmadaw]]-linked commercial entities". Citing the "exceptionally severe human rights abuses and the clear risk of future military-initiated violence in Myanmar", the tech giant also implemented the move on its subsidiary, [[Instagram]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210225-facebook-bans-myanmar-military-accounts-from-its-platforms-citing-coup|title=Facebook bans Myanmar military accounts from its platforms, citing coup|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=France 24|date=February 25, 2021}}</ref> In March 2021, ''The Wall Street Journal''{{'s}} editorial board criticized Facebook's decision to fact-check its op-ed titled "We'll Have Herd immunity by April" written by surgeon [[Marty Makary]], calling it "counter-opinion masquerading as [[fact-checking|fact checking]]."<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=March 5, 2021|title=Opinion: Fact-Checking Facebook's Fact Checkers |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fact-checking-facebooks-fact-checkers-11614987375|access-date=March 7, 2021|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> Facebook guidelines allow users to call for the death of public figures, they also allow praise of mass killers and 'violent non-state actors' in some situations.<ref>{{cite web|date=March 23, 2021|title=Facebook guidelines allow for users to call for death of public figures|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/23/facebook-guidelines-allow-for-users-to-call-for-death-of-public-figures|access-date=March 23, 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=March 23, 2021|title=Facebook leak underscores strategy to operate in repressive regimes|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/mar/23/facebook-leak-underscore-strategy-operate-repressive-regimes|access-date=March 25, 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref> In 2021, former Facebook analyst within the ''Spam'' and ''Fake Engagement'' teams, [[Sophie Zhang (whistleblower)|Sophie Zhang]], reported on more than 25 political subversion operations she uncovered while in Facebook, and the general laissez-faire by the private enterprise.<ref name="Ex" /><ref name="Wong-2021" /><ref name="the Guardian-2021" /> In 2021, Facebook was cited as playing a role in the fomenting of the [[2021 United States Capitol attack]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Brewster |first=Thomas |date=February 7, 2021 |title=Sheryl Sandberg Downplayed Facebook's Role In The Capitol Hill Siege—Justice Department Files Tell A Very Different Story |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2021/02/07/sheryl-sandberg-downplayed-facebooks-role-in-the-capitol-hill-siege-justice-department-files-tell-a-very-different-story/ |access-date=March 9, 2022 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Timberg |first1=Craig |last2=Dwoskin |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Albergotti |first3=Reed |date=October 22, 2021 |title=Inside Facebook, Jan. 6 violence fueled anger, regret over missed warning signs |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/22/jan-6-capitol-riot-facebook/ |access-date=March 9, 2022 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |language=en}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page