In its latest efforts at curbing the nuisance of spam and inauthentic behaviour that is rampant on its platform, Facebook has announced to have removed more than 600 pages or accounts from India, and more than 100 pages or account from Pakistan.
In the official blog, Nathaniel Gleicher, Head of Cybersecurity Policy at Facebook wrote that a total of 103 pages, groups, and accounts on both Facebook and Instagram were removed for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour. These originated in Pakistan and were linked to the country's military fan pages.
Separately, 687 Facebook pages and accounts originating in India, were also removed. Interestingly, these were linked to individuals associated with an IT Cell of the Indian National Congress (INC).
In another set of removals, 15 Facebook pages, groups, and accounts engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour in India, linked to Indian IT firm, Silver Touch, were also pulled down. 321 pages and accounts in India, were also removed down for breaking Facebook's rules against spam.
Gliecher explained that people behind this activity coordinated with one another and used fake accounts to misrepresent themselves. The action was taken against the pages and accounts based on the behaviour and not the content they posted.
Facebook has been aggressively taking measures to curb the spread of misinformation ahead of the General Elections in India which are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting April 11.
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