Facebook takes down white nationalist and fake antifa accounts
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SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook Inc (FB.O) mentioned Tuesday it has suspended accounts related to white nationalist teams after some advocated bringing weapons to the present wave of anti-racist protests.
Company officers additionally mentioned they eliminated accounts falsely claiming allegiance to antifa to be able to convey discredit to the anti-fascist motion.
Antifa adherents have mentioned they concentrate on defending individuals from assaults by authorities or vigilantes, however they’ve been vilified by President Donald Trump who, with out citing proof, mentioned they have been instigators of anti-police violence.
Some of the eliminated white nationalist accounts have been related to the Proud Boys, which Facebook beforehand categorised as a harmful group. The others had connections to a gaggle known as the American Guard, which is now categorised the identical manner.
Multiple Facebook executives described the motion on situation they not be recognized. They mentioned they acted based mostly on conduct, not the politics of any content material, and that Facebook had not designated antifa as harmful.
The firm mentioned it was wanting nearer at accounts discussing protests when it noticed what it deemed white nationalist accounts encouraging violence.
The deceptive antifa accounts have been eliminated for “inauthentic conduct,” as a result of they presupposed to be one thing they weren’t, Facebook mentioned.
As with a false antifa tweet that Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) tied to a 3rd white nationalist group and which was extensively distributed as a display shot, the Facebook executives mentioned Tuesday the aim of such content material is usually to not win 1000’s of followers however to plant a single false flag that can be utilized to sow mistrust concerning the goal group.
Facebook declined to touch upon whether or not it had been in contact with legislation enforcement, which it sometimes does in instances of an imminent menace.
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