Facebook Pledges To Crack Down on Government-led Misinformation Campaigns (theverge.com)

Facebook is pressing its enforcement against what it calls "information operations" -- bad actors who use the platform to spread fake news and false propaganda. From a report: The company, which published a report on the subject today, defines these operations as government-led campaigns -- or those from organized "non-state actors" -- to promote lies, sow confusion and chaos among opposing political groups, and destabilize movements in other countries. The goal of these operations, the report says, is to manipulate public opinion and serve geopolitical ends. The actions go beyond the posting of fake news stories. The 13-page report specifies that fake news can be motivated by a number of incentives, but that it becomes part of a larger information operation when its coupled with other tactics and end goals. Facebook says these include friend requests sent under false names to glean more information about the personal networks of spying targets and hacking targets, the boosting of false or misleading stories through mass "liking" campaigns, and the creation propaganda groups. The company defines these actions as "targeted data collection," "false amplification," and "content creation." Facebook plans to target these accounts by monitoring for suspicious activity, like bursts of automated actions on the site, to enact mass banning of accounts.

Comments

Ah yes, Facebook

[Anonymous Coward]

That paragon of integrity.

Competition...

[WolfgangVL]

FACEBOOK will tolerate no competition when it comes to influencing public opinion! We simple cannot allow this despicable ungood news-speak and thought-crime on our platform! Our platform is only for doubleplusgood news-speak. It's the deplorables of course! Remember to report any bad-think you come across! We have provided good-think links and a handy report button to ease your patriotic duty! We must all work together to this end my friends, for Facebook has always been at war with Snapchat, and we must always double-think of the children!