The Russian network was the “largest and most complex” of its kind that Meta had uncovered since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while the Chinese one was the first to target U.S. politics ahead of the midterm elections.
Meta stated in a report that two separate networks violated the company’s policy regarding “coordinated inauthentic behavior”.
The Chinese accounts ran across multiple platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and were primarily targeted at the US and the Czech Republic. The messages, intended for Czech citizens, focused on criticizing the government’s support for Ukraine, its impact on the Czech economy, and calling for the government to avoid being hostile to China.
Disinformation about the US was aimed at Republicans and Democrats alike, with messages expressing bipartisan support for their positions on gun rights and the availability of abortion.
“This operation did not receive support from the authentic communities,” Meta said in a report.
The larger Russian-origin network primarily targeted Germany, France, Italy, Ukraine, and the UK, with a focus on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The network consisted of more than 60 websites masquerading as European news platforms such as the Guardian, Der Spiegel and Bild.
On more than 1,600 Facebook and Instagram accounts, the network promoted stories that echoed Kremlin propaganda in criticism of Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, as well as Western sanctions on Russia.
Meta started investigating the case following a publication by investigative journalists in Germany.
“This is the largest and most complex operation of Russian origin that we have thwarted since the start of the war in Ukraine,” the company said in a statement.
Source: Axios
