Meta removes fake accounts in Moldova ahead of presidential election

Meta Platforms has announced that it has removed a network of group accounts aimed at Russian-speakers in Moldova, citing violations of its policy on fake accounts.

Authorities in Moldova, an ex-Soviet state lying between Romania and Ukraine, said they had blocked dozens of Telegram channels and chat bots linked to a drive to pay voters to cast "no" ballots in a referendum on EU membership held alongside the presidential election, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Pro-European President Maia Sandu is seeking a second term in the election and called the referendum on joining the 27-member bloc as the cornerstone of her policies.

The fake Meta accounts posted criticism of Sandu, pro-EU politicians, and close ties between Moldova and Romania, and supported pro-Russia parties in Moldova, the company said.

The company said its operation centered around about a dozen fictitious, Russian-language news brands posing as independent entities with presence on multiple internet services, including Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, as well as Telegram, OK.ru and TikTok.

Meta said it removed seven Facebook accounts, 23 pages, one group and 20 accounts on Instagram for violating its "coordinated inauthentic behaviour policy".

About 4,200 accounts followed one or more of the 23 pages and around 335,000 accounts followed one or more of the Instagram accounts, Meta said.

In Chisinau, the National Investigation Inspectorate said it had blocked 15 channels of the popular Telegram messaging app and 95 chat bots offering voters money. Users were told the channels "violated local laws" on political party financing.

It had traced the accounts to supporters of fugitive businessman Ilan Shor - members of the banned party bearing his name or the "Victory" electoral bloc he had set up in its place from his exile base in Moscow.

News.Az