Over 1,600 fake Facebook accounts have been blocked by Meta for spreading Russian propaganda in Germany, Italy, France, the UK and Ukraine
.
The company announces this, pointing out that it was the largest and most complex network connected to Russia ever identified since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.
The company that owns Facebook and Instagram told The Associated Press that it had identified and disabled
the fake news network before it could reach a large audience
.
The operation involved
more than 60 copy sites of some of the most prestigious Western newspapers, including the British Guardian and the German Der Spiegel
.
However, once clicked on the site the user was sent to Russian propaganda news and disinformation about Ukraine.
Meta researchers also identified and dismantled a much smaller network of fake news from China and attempted to spread political content in the United States.
The operation reached only a very limited American audience, with some posts only being viewed by one person.
However, the company points out that it was the first Beijing network to target Americans with political messages ahead of the mid-term elections.
