WASHINGTON. Meta revealed on Thursday that it had taken down thousands of fake Facebook accounts designed to appear as if they were from Americans. The accounts, originating from China, were part of an effort to spread polarizing political content with the aim of dividing the U.S. ahead of the 2024 elections.
The network, consisting of nearly 4,800 fake accounts, was in the process of building an audience when Meta identified and eliminated it. The accounts used fake photos, names, and locations to mimic everyday American Facebook users expressing opinions on political issues.
Unlike other networks that spread fake content, these accounts were primarily used to reshare posts from X, formerly known as Twitter, created by politicians, news outlets, and others. The interconnected accounts pulled content from both liberal and conservative sources, indicating a goal to exaggerate partisan divisions and fuel polarization.
This discovery highlights how foreign adversaries exploit U.S.-based tech platforms to sow discord, especially as national elections approach in the U.S., India, Mexico, Ukraine, Pakistan, Taiwan, and other nations in 2024.
Meta did not publicly link the Chinese network to the Chinese government but determined that it originated in China. The content shared by the accounts aligned with other Chinese government propaganda and disinformation, aiming to amplify partisan and ideological divisions in the U.S.
The fake accounts occasionally posted about unrelated topics like fashion or pets to appear more like typical Facebook users. Meta’s efforts to shut down such networks demonstrate its commitment to protecting election integrity, although critics argue that the focus on fake accounts deflects from addressing misinformation already present on the platform.
As Meta announces policies for the upcoming election year, critics express skepticism, citing the platform’s acceptance of paid advertisements questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 U.S. election. Meta claims to focus on future elections and rejects ads casting doubt on upcoming contests.
Despite Meta’s efforts, experts warn of new challenges in 2024, including the use of sophisticated AI programs to create lifelike audio and video that could mislead voters. The responsibility for policing platforms falls on the platforms themselves, as significant regulations are unlikely to pass before the 2024 election.
Meta’s election plans are deemed “modest” compared to the challenges posed by other platforms like X. Critics argue that Congress and the administration must act to ensure social media platforms do not aid foreign and domestic actors undermining democracy.
Many of the fake accounts identified by Meta had similar accounts on X, where some regularly retweeted Elon Musk’s posts. These accounts remain active on X.
Meta released a report evaluating the risk of foreign adversaries using social media to interfere in elections. The report noted Russia’s focus on using state media propaganda and misinformation to undermine support for Ukraine, which is expected to continue ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
