The detection of the operation ahead of November elections show that the Internet Research Agency, a “troll farm” indicted by federal authorities in 2018, remains a thorn in Facebook’s side. But the company said the recent effort’s small reach—totaling 13 accounts and two pages—shows Facebook is getting better at detecting foreign political manipulation efforts before such content spreads widely. Facebook revealed the takedown in a report Tuesday, the latest of several efforts to improve the quality of its platforms. Assisting in the effort was Graphika, an independent research firm that contracts with Facebook on investigations into foreign social-media manipulation. Much of its efforts were tied to a website called PeaceData.net, for which the IRA allegedly tried to recruit freelance journalists as writers.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 01, 2020 22:52 UTC