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Updated Nov 6, 2018 6:28 am EST
Facebook has blocked 115 accounts, according to federal authorities, which acted suspiciously and could be "linked to foreign entities" and coordinate their activities. The online giant has revealed this news in an article published Monday on his blog, the eve of the mid-term elections in the United States.
Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy on Facebook, said: "On Sunday night, US law enforcement forces contacted us about newly discovered online activities related to foreign entities.
"Our very preliminary investigation has so far identified approximately 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram accounts that may be engaged in unauthentically coordinated behavior, and we have immediately blocked these accounts and now examine them in more detail." Almost all badociated Facebook pages these accounts seem to be in French or Russian, while Instagram accounts seem to have been mostly in English – some were celebrity-centric, others to political debate. "
Mr. Gleicher added that Facebook normally went further in its investigation of the accounts before publicly disclosing its steps, but wanted to spread the word quickly because the day of elections was close.
"Once we know more, including whether these accounts are linked to the Russian-based Internet Research Agency or to other foreign entities – we will update this message", did he concluded.
The Internet Research Agency is a Russian-based entity that is caught in the indictment of 13 Russian nationals and three companies indicted by special advocate Robert Mueller in February. The indictment accused them of violating US laws to interfere in the 2016 presidential elections. According to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the defendants waged an information war against the states. -United. Twelve of the defendants have worked on various occasions for the Internet Research Agency.
US technology companies are strengthening security and fighting misinformation campaigns as online troublemakers, including Russian groups, try to divide voters and discredit democracy. The purge of Facebook is part of the measures to prevent abuses such as those used by Russian groups two years ago to influence public opinion before the 2016 US presidential elections.
Last month, the company removed 82 pages, accounts and groups related to Iran, intended to stir up social conflict in the United States and the United Kingdom. Facebook .
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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