Photo: Yonhap News
Facebook says it has removed a small network of fake accounts and pages that originated in China and focused on disrupting political activity in the United States and several other countries.
The social networking giant revealed Tuesday that it was just a "sliver" of the accounts' overall activity and gained almost no following, adding their primary focus was Southeast Asia, where it posted in Chinese, Filipino and English about global news and current events.
These included Beijing's interests in the South China Sea, Hong Kong and support for Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.
In the U.S., the accounts posted material both in support of and against presidential candidates Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
Facebook did not link the network directly to the Chinese government, but said the those behind the network tried to conceal their identity and location via virtual private networks and other methods.
Concerns about foreign efforts to interfere in the November election were underscored by a warning from the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security that foreign actors and cybercriminals were likely to spread disinformation regarding the results of the election, including by creating fake websites or social media content aimed at discrediting the process.
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