Meta takes down hundreds of fake accounts linked to China and Russia.
Meta has removed numerous fake accounts tied to China and Russia, affecting users in Europe, Ukraine, and the U.S. These networks shared similar anti-Western messages, but were distinct. They focused on criticizing the West’s sanctions on Russia and backing Ukraine. While Facebook and Instagram accounts were shut down early, the actors behind them also utilize platforms like Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube. No conclusive evidence links these operations to specific Chinese or Russian groups.
On Tuesday Meta announced that they took down hundreds of fake accounts linked to Russia and China that targeted users in Europe, Ukraine and the U.S. The Chinese and Russian networks recently discovered by the company were unrelated, but apparently the narratives they were spreading overlapped in their criticism of the West. Researchers said they focused in particular on sanctions against Russia and support of Ukraine. Meta did not find sufficient evidence to attribute these operations to specific groups in China or Russia. On Facebook and Instagram, both networks had limited reach and were shut down before they could grow their audience. However, the same actors use other platforms as well, including Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.