# Exclusive-Facebook to target harmful coordination by real accounts using playbook against fake networks
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-09-16
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Facebook ramps up action against coordinated harmful accounts
Meta Description: Learn about Facebook's new aggressive approach to tackle harmful activities by coordinated real user accounts on its platform, mirroring strategies used
URL: https://financedigest.com/exclusive-facebook-to-target-harmful-coordination-by-real-accounts-using-playbook-against-fake-networkshtml

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By Elizabeth Culliford and Fanny Potkin

(Reuters) – Facebook is taking a more aggressive approach to shut down coordinated groups of real-user accounts engaging in certain harmful activities on its platform, using the same strategy its security teams take against campaigns using fake accounts, the company told Reuters.

The new approach, reported here for the first time, uses the tactics usually taken by Facebook’s security teams for wholesale shutdowns of networks engaged in influence operations that use false accounts to manipulate public debate, such as Russian troll farms.

It could have major [implications for how the social media giant handles political](https://www.financedigest.com/the-politics-economics-and-investment-implications-of-brexit.html "The politics, economics and investment implications of Brexit") and other coordinated movements breaking its rules, at a time when Facebook’s approach to abuses on its platforms is under heavy scrutiny from global lawmakers and civil society groups.

Facebook said it now plans to take this same network-level approach with groups of coordinated [real accounts](https://www.financedigest.com/its-time-for-real-time-accountancy.html "It’s time for real time accountancy ") that systemically break its rules, through mass reporting, where many users falsely report a target’s content or account to get it shut down, or brigading, a type of online harassment where users might coordinate to target an individual through mass posts or comments.

The expansion, which a spokeswoman said was in its early stages, means Facebook’s security [teams could identify core movements driving such behavior and take more sweeping actions than the company removing posts or individual accounts](https://www.financedigest.com/what-can-accountants-learn-from-great-britains-olympic-team.html "What can accountants learn from Great Britain’s Olympic team?") as it otherwise might.

In April, BuzzFeed News published a leaked Facebook internal [report about the company’s](https://www.financedigest.com/the-last-mile-of-statutory-reporting-is-absolutely-crucial-heres-how-one-global-company-does-it-with-onesource.html "The last mile of statutory reporting is absolutely crucial. Here’s how one global company does it with ONESOURCE") role in the Jan. 6 riot on the U.S. Capitol and its challenges in curbing the fast-growing ‘Stop the Steal’ movement, where one of the findings was Facebook had “little policy around coordinated authentic harm.”(https://bit.ly/2XmbHZN)

Facebook’s [security experts](https://www.financedigest.com/industry-not-ready-for-robot-hack-threat-warns-cyber-security-expert.html "Industry NOT READY for robot hack threat, warns cyber security expert"), who are separate from the company’s content moderators and handle threats from adversaries trying to evade its rules, started cracking down on influence operations using fake accounts in 2017, following the 2016 U.S. election in which U.S. intelligence officials concluded Russia had used [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-snitching-app-turns-citizens-into-social-media-police.html "Saudi snitching app turns citizens into social media police") platforms as part of a cyber-influence campaign – a claim Moscow has denied.

Facebook dubbed this banned activity by the groups of fake accounts “coordinated inauthentic behavior” (CIB), and its [security teams started announcing sweeping takedowns in monthly reports](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-morgan-advanced-materials-reports-cyber-security-incident-on-its-network.html "UK’s Morgan Advanced Materials reports cyber security incident on its network"). The security teams also handle some specific threats that may not use fake accounts, such as fraud or cyber-espionage [networks or overt influence operations](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-network-operators-monetise-television-quickly-and-effectively.html "How can network operators monetise television quickly and effectively?") like some state media campaigns.

Sources said teams at the company had long debated how it should intervene at a network level for [large movements of real user accounts](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-current-account-deficit-widens-again-on-large-energy-bill.html "Euro zone current account deficit widens again on large energy bill") systemically breaking its rules.

In July, Reuters reported on the Vietnam army’s online information warfare unit, who engaged in actions including [mass reporting of accounts to Facebook but also often used their real](https://www.financedigest.com/the-north-heads-south-to-mipim-en-masse-to-corner-new-real-estate-business-opportunities.html "The North heads South to MIPIM en masse to corner new real estate business opportunities") names.

Facebook is under increasing [pressure from global regulators](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-u-s-regulators-could-be-pressured-by-slim-republican-house-control.html "Analysis-U.S. regulators could be pressured by slim Republican House control"), lawmakers and employees to combat wide-ranging abuses on its services. Others have [criticized the company](https://www.financedigest.com/mitigating-supply-chain-risks-five-critical-tips-financial-services-companies.html "Mitigating supply chain risks – five critical tips for financial services companies") over allegations of censorship, anti-conservative bias or inconsistent enforcement.

An expansion of Facebook’s network disruption models to affect authentic accounts raises further questions about how changes [might impact](https://www.financedigest.com/brexit-might-impact-our-migrant-pool-magazine.html "“Brexit might impact our migrant pool.”-Magazine") types of public debate, online movements and campaign tactics across the political spectrum.

High-profile instances of coordinated activity around [last year’s](https://www.financedigest.com/over-50-of-businesses-increased-their-cyber-security-budget-last-year-amid-attacks.html "Over 50% of businesses increased their cyber security budget last year amid attacks") U.S. election, from teens and K-pop fans claiming they used TikTok to sabotage a rally for former [President Donald Trump](https://www.financedigest.com/over-a-third-of-uk-people-think-thomas-whitmore-from-independence-day-will-be-joined-by-donald-trump-in-disneys-hall-of-presidents.html "Over a third of UK people think Thomas Whitmore from Independence Day will be joined by Donald Trump in Disney’s Hall of Presidents") in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to political campaigns paying online meme-makers, have also sparked debates on how platforms should define and approach coordinated campaigns.

(Reporting by [Elizabeth Culliford in London](https://www.financedigest.com/34315plane-carrying-coffin-of-queen-elizabeth-lands-in-london.html "Plane carrying coffin of Queen Elizabeth lands in London") and Fanny Potkin in Singapore; Editing by Kenneth Li and Nick Zieminski)


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