China-based network of thousands of fake accounts dismantled by Meta

In a recent report, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, announced that it had taken down a network of thousands of fake and misleading accounts originating from China. These accounts, posing as Americans, aimed to spread divisive content about US politics and US-China relations. The network covered various topics including abortion, culture war issues, and aid to Ukraine. While no direct evidence of connections to Beijing officials was found, Meta has observed an increase in such networks from China ahead of the 2024 US elections. China now ranks third among countries housing these networks, following Russia and Iran. Meta's quarterly threat report outlined the recent takedowns of the China-based network, which involved more than 4,700 accounts. The accounts utilized profile pictures and names stolen from other users worldwide. They engaged in activities such as sharing and liking each other's posts and even copied content from X, formerly known as Twitter. Some accounts copied and pasted posts verbatim from US politicians from both major parties, including Nancy Pelosi, Gretchen Whitmer, Ron DeSantis, Matt Gaetz, Jim Jordan, and others. The accounts exhibited no consistent ideological alignment. The motivations behind the China-based network's actions remain unclear. Some posts sought to amplify partisan tensions, attract followers among the politicians' supporters, or simply make the fake accounts appear more authentic. Meta's guidelines explicitly prohibit "coordinated inauthentic behavior," where groups of accounts collaborate using false identities to deceive users. The content shared by these networks often references accurate news stories but is used to manipulate public opinion, sow division, and create the illusion of popularity for specific viewpoints. Fortunately, Meta managed to dismantle the large Chinese network before it gained traction among real users. Ben Nimmo, who heads investigations into inauthentic behavior on Meta's platforms, acknowledged that such networks still struggle to gain significant audiences but emphasized the need for vigilance, as foreign actors are making efforts to influence people online ahead of upcoming elections. In addition to the China-based network, Meta also discovered two smaller networks—one from China focusing on India and Tibet, and one from Russia primarily posting in English about the invasion of Ukraine and promoting Telegram channels. Russian networks have increasingly concentrated on the war in Ukraine, aiming to undermine international support for Kyiv. It's worth noting that Meta mentioned the US government ceased sharing foreign influence network information with the company in July, following a federal ruling related to the First Amendment that is currently being reviewed by the Supreme Court. This case is part of a broader debate regarding the extent of US government involvement in restricting the free speech of social media users through cooperation with tech companies.