Facebook yanks 1.3bn fake accounts from platform over misinformation

*The global tech giants says it has also taken down over 12 million pieces of content about COVID-19 and vaccines that global health experts flagged as misinformation

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Facebook, one of the global tech giants, has said that it removed 1.3 billion fake accounts between October and December 2020.

The company in a blog post noted that it also took down more than 12 million pieces of content about COVID-19 and vaccines that global health experts flagged as misinformation.

In connection with the crackdown on misinformation, Facebook said it had built a global network of more than 80 independent fact-checkers, who review content in more than 60 languages.

“When they rate something as false, we reduce its distribution so fewer people see it, and add a warning label with more information for anyone who sees it.

We know that when a warning screen is placed on a post, 95% of the time people don’t click to view it.”

2020 was the most volatile and chaotic year for misinformation in India, a Facebook fact-checking partner for India told Economic Times February 2021.

In February this year, India notified a set of rules under the Information Technology Act that call for sweeping changes in the way social media platforms are regulated.

The rules require large social media platforms such as Facebook to, among other things, appoint a chief compliance officer resident in India, a nodal person to coordination with law enforcement agencies, and a “resident grievance officer”, according to report.