Focus + test: Facebook passes fake advertisements

"Polling stations are closed, people can not vote." "This false message managed to convince the editors of the KRO-NCRV program Brandpunt + on Facebook, and they want to show that it is easy enough to manipulate the upcoming provincial council elections. next March

The fake ads were approved by Facebook, Brandpunt + pulled out even before they signed in. The inspection also revealed that ChristenUnie's leader, Gert-Jan Segers, had converted to Islam: Only a fictional message about CDA leader Sybrand Buma was arrested

Votes

The risk is that when such advertisements are found in a group and involve enough people They can cost a lot of votes for a party, and according to Brandpunt +, it costs around 2,500 euros to reach half a million potential VVD voters.In the recent US presidential elections, the "They would have put many false messages on Facebook to counter Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and to stir up trouble.

Awareness campaign

Facebook leaves a comment to investigate the case. . According to Minister Kajsa Ollongren (Internal Affairs), the fact that Facebook has accepted the ads is "an illustration of my view that independent journalism is very important to fight against false information." Ollongren announced earlier that she was going to conduct an "awareness campaign" in the country. the preparation of the provincial and European elections next year. She sees it more than in laws and regulations.