Facebook has taken down several fake and malicious accounts operating from Pakistan and involved in a smearing tact targeting India and minorities in Pakistan.
In August, Facebook suspended 103 Pages, 78 Groups, 453 accounts, and 107 Instagram accounts being run from Pakistan.In its August 2020 Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior (CIB) Report, Facebook has said that it has removed 3 networks of accounts including one from Pakistan, focused on both domestic audiences in Pakistan and also in India.
The incidence has been reported to the local authority as well. “We have shared information about our findings with law enforcement, policymakers, and industry partners,” said the social media platform. It further added that this network as part of its internal investigation was “suspected in coordinated inauthentic behavior in the region”
The network’s posts were in Urdu, Hindi, English, and Punjabi and were primarily engaged about regional news and current events including memes and content about social and political issues in Pakistan and India. Their content was broadly focused on India’s policies toward China, the Indian military, criticism of the Indian government, and its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.