Facebook has removed the network of Russian accounts due to the threat of interference in the US elections

Facebook representatives said on Thursday, September 24 that they had identified and closed a network of fake accounts, which included fictitious individuals who, according to the company, were associated with Russian military intelligence. CNN.

Photo: Shutterstock

Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook, said that while the accounts were not primarily targeted at the United States, there are concerns that such accounts could be used in Russian influence operations as the November US presidential election approaches.

According to the US Attorney's Office, in 2016, Russian military intelligence used fake online personas and created a website and Facebook account for DC Leaks, a page that published and distributed hacked emails related to the Hillary Clinton campaign. The US Attorney's Office said Russia was responsible for the hack.

Gleicher said Facebook did not have concrete evidence of the so-called hack and leak operation, but added: "We do think, and a number of experts do, that this is one of the threats that we need to be prepared for."

Facebook said that closed accounts are mainly focused on the "Far East, Russia's neighboring countries and Syria."

“They frequently published news and current events, including topics such as the civil war in Syria, domestic politics in Turkey, geopolitical issues in the Asia-Pacific region, NATO, the war in Ukraine and politics in the Baltic states, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus,” they said on Facebook.

On the subject: Facebook will pay users to get rid of social media ahead of US elections

Twitter also said it has closed linked accounts on its platform, which the company can “reliably identify with government-related entities” in Russia.

Facebook said the company had evidence that the group was posing as journalists to contact news organizations, something Gleicher said U.S. reporters should be mindful of in the final weeks of the campaign.

Facebook has closed the accounts of people who were associated with the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a notorious Russian "troll" group that used social media to try to interfere in the 2016 election.

Following a tip from the FBI, the company said, Facebook discovered a website associated with the blackout pages that describes itself as an "independent think tank" but is associated with a "troll" operation.

On the subject: 'False information': Facebook removed Trump's COVID-19 post and Twitter blocked his headquarters

Earlier this month, following another FBI report, Facebook closed accounts on a website that was posing as an independent left-wing news agency. Facebook explained that this site was also linked to the IRA. The site attracted unsuspecting American authors to work.

Russia has repeatedly denied using social media to interfere in the 2016 elections.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Donald Trump, Satanists and the Ghost of Communism: What Do US Voters Want and Fear?

Trump said he would run for a third presidential term: can he do it

Data theft and election interference: Russians accused of fraud in the United States

22 times the world was on the verge of the third world: the mistakes that almost led to the Apocalypse

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.