U.S. social media giant Facebook announced on Jan. 17 that it has removed a number of pages, groups, and accounts originating from Russia that engaged in deceitful behavior and operated in a several areas: Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, the Baltics, and Central Asia.
A total of 107 of these Facebook pages, groups, and accounts, as well as 41 Instagram accounts focused specifically on Ukraine. The people managing these fake accounts would portray themselves as Ukrainians and would share content relevant to Ukrainians.
The information published could vary from a simple weather forecast to anti-NATO posts, but all with the aim of accentuating divisions within a country that is preparing for its upcoming presidential elections in late March.
However, Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg’s company said the removal of these fake accounts was prompted by the behavior of the individuals managing the aforementioned accounts, not by the subject matter of their publications.
Tipped-off by U.S. law enforcement, Facebook also said it had identified “coordinated inauthentic behavior” between multiple pages.
Criticized in the past for failing to respond to Russia’s disinformation campaign against the West at large, Facebook said it would continue to counter “determined and well-funded” individuals.
The cost of advertisements connected to the 107 Facebook pages and 41 Instagram accounts deleted totals $25,000. The Facebook pages attracted 180,000 followers, whereas the Instagram accounts together had 55,000 followers.
According to experts in Kremlin’s current hybrid warfare strategy, the goal of the individuals managing these fake pages is to influence and manipulate public sentiment in order to undermine the state targeted.
In recent years Russia has been accused of using propaganda outlets and social media to meddle in elections and key votes in several countries, including the United States, Germany and France.
