Facebook Removes Hundreds of Propaganda Accounts Targeting Iran and Qatar

According to BuzzFeed News, a network of websites and accounts have been using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social platforms to sow propaganda targeting Iran and Qatar. "The accounts, which have now been taken down, appear to have been professionally run by PR firms based in the Middle East and Africa," the report says. From the report: In August, Facebook announced the removal of more than 350 pages and accounts it said were engaged in coordinated inauthentic activity and operated by marketing firms in Egypt and the UAE. Now, after being contacted by BuzzFeed News about another network of pages, accounts, and websites connected to those it had previously removed, Facebook has announced additional takedowns, saying the accounts removed in August were, in fact, part of larger operations run by PR firms in UAE and Nigeria.

This follows a September announcement by Twitter that it had removed 241 additional accounts linked to Egypt and the UAE. It's now clear that these accounts were also connected to the larger operation uncovered by BuzzFeed News and targeted by Facebook today. In total, the company removed 211 Facebook accounts, 107 Facebook Pages, 43 Facebook Groups, and 87 Instagram accounts "for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior that originated in the UAE, Egypt and Nigeria," according to today's announcement. Additionally, 62 Twitter accounts and 12 YouTube accounts uncovered by BuzzFeed News were taken down. Facebook also announced today that it had removed accounts and pages connected to separate information operations stemming from Egypt and Indonesia. Facebook's announcement says that the UAE-Nigeria network spent close to $150,000 promoting its content on Facebook, and attracted close to 1.4 million followers for the associated pages. The Instagram profiles were followed by nearly 70,000 people.

How is FB targeting Iran?

[reanjr]

Wouldn't providing tools to target the Iranian market full under the U.S. trade embargo?

Re:

[AHuxley]

Not if its the CIA and MI6...who want a clear path for their own more advanced social media efforts deep into Iran.
Cant have another Operation Ajax slowed down by mixed messages out of the Middle East and Africa.
The CIA and MI6 need social media to be ready for their next color revolution in Iran.

Re: How is FB targeting Iran?

[astrofurter]

"their next color revolution in Iran."

But will it be a green revolution?

Re:

[AHuxley]

Depends on the what the CIA anthropologists feel is going to work next time.
They will study Iran some more and get production going on a new brand of protest color.
The color green did not stir up the CIA/MI6 protests enough last time (~ 2009).
Expect to see the new CIA color in stickers, banners, slogans, social media events, clothing soon as social media is getting ready for a US backed change of gov in Iran.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

at what point does it end?

[AndyKron]

Pretty soon all that will be allowed are Bible verses

Re:

[rmdingler]

Pretty soon all that will be allowed are Bible verses

Maybe, but it seems likely the Bible verses will eventually be determined to be offensive to those who worship different versions of the omnipotent overseer. Perhaps when everything is offensive to someone, the system will reset, and the right to not be offended will be rescinded.

Re:

[Ryzilynt]

Pretty soon all that will be allowed are Bible verses

Maybe, but it seems likely the Bible verses will eventually be determined to be offensive to those who worship different versions of the omnipotent overseer. Perhaps when everything is offensive to someone, the system will reset, and the right to not be offended will be rescinded.

Amen

Re:

[gbjbaanb]

Don't be so islamophobic. Only verses from the koran will be allowed. Broadcast with some nice music of an Imam calling the faithful to prayer. 24/7.

And you thought the dystopian future would have military marchine music set to images of troops parading before the dear leader, ah, bless. :)

Re:How about Al-Jazeera?

[BardBollocks]

AJ is not running fake accounts..

What a mess.

[Arzaboa]

My knee jerk reaction is to say "What a mess, lets get rid of this!"

Up until Facebook, many societies just simply banned gossip going back thousands of years. We've seen that governments aren't ready to give up Facebook until they have a better way to spy on their people and drive the conversation.

This is going to be more about how long it takes the planet to settle into this new world order of insta-gossip and massive never ending mis-informaiton campaigns.

--
Increasingly, management's role is not to orga

Re:

[Antique Geekmeister]

What society banned gossip, especially gossip that served the desires of the priesthood?

Re:

[Arzaboa]

Throughout history rumors, yellow journalism, now known as "Fake News" - all forms of gossip - have been considered a problem. Gossip and Slander are considered sins in most religions. In the United States and around the world you can sue people for slander and libel.

Here are some examples:
Singapore [aljazeera.com]
Russia [npr.org]
Columbia 2005 [theguardian.com]
Philippines [wsj.com]
5 Years in Prison in Saudi Arabia [gulfbusiness.com]
7 Years in Prison in China [cpj.org]

Slander in the Bible:
Slander in the Bible [desiringgod.org]
Jewish faith -- Punishment 3 days of fasting [jewishencyclopedia.com]

Laws regarding Libel:
Libel in the [revolution...cation.com]

Re:

[Ryzilynt]

Up until Facebook, many societies just simply banned gossip going back thousands of years.

LMFAO

Facebook Removes Propaganda Accounts?

[fustakrakich]

No more republicans and democrats?

Most excellent!

WTF?

[FilmedInNoir]

I'm reading this as, "These sites don't want to be used for propaganda so instead they will indirectly support terrorism through indifference to stopping it."
Meanwhile, at the Legion of Woke Doom, Buzzfeed continues to make plans to cancel Dave Chappelle once and for all.

Qatar, not Iran

[tinkerton]

I read the article because it seemed odd that facebook would take action against anti-Iran propaganda, except maybe symbolic or as a side effect, and indeed the whole article is about Qatar.