Facebook Removes 3 Account Networks From Russia, Iran, Myanmar Over Policy Violations

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Facebook has removed three account networks originating from Russia, Iran, and Myanmar and Vietnam, for violating its policy that bans government interference, and coordinated, inauthentic behaviour, the company said on Wednesday.

"Today, we removed three unconnected networks of accounts, Pages and Groups for engaging in foreign or government interference — which is coordinated inauthentic behavior on behalf of a government or foreign actor — on Facebook and Instagram. The first operation originated in Russia and primarily targeted Ukraine and its neighboring countries. The second originated in Iran and focused mainly on the US. The third network originated in Myanmar and Vietnam and targeted audiences in Myanmar. Each of them created networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing," Facebook said in a statement.

In October, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told NBC News in an interview that the company had thwarted new interference campaigns from Russia, China and Iran that could have allegedly become the groundwork for meddling efforts during the 2020 presidential election in the United States.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied meddling in the US election, saying the allegations were invented to excuse election losses as well as deflect public attention from actual instances of electoral fraud and corruption.