Facebook removes Delhi-based fake accounts targeting Saudi
By MYBRANDBOOK
Facebook revealed removal of a network of 37 Facebook accounts, 32 Pages, 11 Groups and 42 Instagram accounts that originated in India and used fake accounts masquerading as media outlets to target the Gulf region, the US, the UK and Canada.
Although the people behind this network attempted to conceal their identities and coordination, the Facebook investigation found links to aRep Global, a digital marketing firm in India.
"The individuals behind this activity used fake accounts, some of which had been previously detected and disabled by our automated systems, to manage Groups and Pages, and to drive people to off-platform websites masquerading as news outlets”, said the social networking giant in its "February 2020 Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior Report.
aRep Global, was launched in Delhi, calls itself an online reputation management (ORM) firm and works on the three pillars of repairing, branding and monitoring the online image of a business enterprise.
According to Facebook, some of these Pages also posed as news organisations and some Pages focused on sports events in Qatar. A number of these accounts purported to be local in countries they targeted, and some posed as journalists and activists.
The people behind this activity typically posted in English about local news and events including topics like Saudi Arabia's role in the Yemen conflict, the UAE and Saudi Arabia's human rights record, criticism of Manchester City, the Premier League soccer team, and praise for sporting events in Qatar.
"Less than $450 in spending for ads on Facebook and Instagram paid for in US dollars, Indian rupee, and Bangladeshi taka. We found this activity as part of our internal investigations into suspected coordinated inauthentic behaviour in the Gulf region," said Facebook.
These Pages and accounts spent around Rs 27 lakh for ads on Facebook. The first ad ran in August 2014 and the most recent ad ran in March 2019, according to Facebook.
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