Facebook has shut down several profiles and pages, which were spreading COVID-19 vaccine disinformation
Facebook says the operation was using social media influencers to backing false vaccine claims.
The social media giant says the operation is a “disinformation laundromat” which sought to legitimise false claims by pushing them through people with clean reputations.
The campaign is believed to have been developed by a marketing firm in Russia.
It was unravelled because two of the influencers did their homework and reported the operation.
Ben Nimmo is Facebook’s global threat intelligence lead who says people need to “be careful when someone is trying to spoon feed you a story.”
He also encouraged people to do their own research.
It comes as Facebook removed 65 accounts and 243 accounts on Instagram that were linked to the campaign last month.
Costa is a news producer at ticker NEWS. He has previously worked as a regional journalist at the Southern Highlands Express newspaper. He also has several years' experience in the fire and emergency services sector, where he has worked with researchers, policymakers and local communities. He has also worked at the Seven Network during their Olympic Games coverage and in the ABC Melbourne newsroom.
He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Professional), with expertise in journalism, politics and international relations. His other interests include colonial legacies in the Pacific, counter-terrorism, aviation and travel.
New reports reveal that Facebook has handed over data to police to help criminally punish a teenager for seeking to get an abortion
The tech giant turned Celeste Burgess’ Facebook message’s into the authorities, where she is being charged for “removing and abandoning a dead human body.”
The 17-year-old lives in Nebraska where abortion isn’t illegal, but the abortion happened via medication at 23 weeks.
Nebraska has a 20 week pregnancy cut off date, and the medication also warns against medical abortion past this time.
The teen’s mother is also facing 5 charges.
This comes amid widespread controversy after the historic Roe v Wade ruling was overturned in the United States.