Meta removes fake accounts in Moldova ahead of presidential election
By Supantha Mukherjee
STOCKHOLM, Oct 11 (Reuters) -Meta Platforms Inc META.O said on Friday it had removed a network of group accounts targeting Russian-speakers in Moldova, ahead of the country's Oct. 20 election, for violation of the company's policy on fake accounts.
Moldova, with a population of about 2.5 million people, is located between Romania and Ukraine, and has a Romanian-speaking majority and a large Russian-speaking minority.
Its pro-Western President Maia Sandu seeks a second term in a presidential election this month, when the country will also hold a referendum on joining the European Union.
The fake accounts posted criticism of President Sandu, pro-EU politicians, and close ties between Moldova and Romania, and supported pro-Russia parties in Moldova, Meta said.
The company said its operation centered around about a dozen fictitious, Russian-language news brands posing as independent entities with presence on multiple internet services, including Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, OK.ru, and TikTok.
Meta said it removed seven Facebook accounts, 23 pages, one group and 20 accounts on Instagram for violating its policy, which is known as "coordinated inauthentic behaviour policy".
About 4,200 accounts followed one or more of the 23 pages and around 335,000 accounts followed one or more of the Instagram accounts, Meta said.
The company also said that the majority of the followers of the fake accounts were based outside of Moldova, which made them appear more popular.
The Moldovan government has denounced persistent Russian meddling in the country's affairs, while Moscow has accused Sandu and her team of fomenting "Russophobia".
Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Stockholm. Editing by Jane Merriman
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
