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WORLD NEWS Friday 17 May 2019

Facebook busts Israel-based campaign to disrupt elections

By ISABEL DEBRE and RA- them from coming back,” revealed that Archimedes elections, since the revela- campaigns for presidential
PHAEL SATTER said Gleicher. had spent some $800,000 tion that Russia used Face- elections.
Associated Press Little information is avail-
JERUSALEM (AP) — Face- able beyond its slogan,
book said Thursday it which is “winning cam-
banned an Israeli com- paigns worldwide,” and
pany that ran an influence a vague blurb about the
campaign aimed at dis- group’s “mass social media
rupting elections in various management” software,
countries and has can- which it said enabled the
celed dozens of accounts operation of an “unlimited”
engaged in spreading dis- number of online accounts.
information. The site, featuring a mon-
Nathaniel Gleicher, Face- tage of stock photos from
book’s head of cyberse- Africa, Latin America and
curity policy, told reporters the Caribbean, boasts of
that the tech giant had its “own unique field within
purged 65 Israeli accounts, the social media realm”
161 pages, dozens of and its efforts to “take ev-
groups and four Instagram ery advantage available
accounts. in order to change reality
Although Facebook said according to our client’s
the individuals behind the wishes.”
network attempted to con- A message seeking com-
ceal their identities, it dis- ment from the company
covered that many were This July 16, 2013 file photo shows a sign at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. was not immediately re-
linked to the Archimedes Associated Press turned.
Group, a Tel Aviv-based Archimedes’ chief execu-
political consulting and The activity appeared fo- on fake ads, paid for in Bra- book to influence the 2016 tive is Elinadav Heymann,
lobbying firm that boasts cused on Sub-Saharan zilian reals, Israeli shekels U.S. presidential election. according to Swiss negotia-
of its social media skills and African countries but was and U.S. dollars. He said the Thursday’s disclosure, tions consultancy Negotia-
ability to “change reality.” also scattered in parts of deceptive ads dated back which Facebook pointed tions.CH, where he is listed
Gleicher said Facebook Southeast Asia and Latin to 2012, with the most re- to as proof of its acceler- as one of the group’s con-
could not speculate about America. cent activity occurring last ating “progress rooting out sultants.
Archimedes’ motives, The fake pages, pushing a month. abuse,” underscored the A biography posted to the
which “may be commer- steady stream of political Facebook shared a few extent to which private ac- company’s website de-
cial or political or for some news, racked up 2.8 mil- examples of the fake con- tors are continuing to lever- scribes Heymann as the for-
other strategic goal.” lion followers. Thousands of tent, including one post age the platform to med- mer director of the Brussels-
But he said Facebook dis- people expressed interest mocking 2018 Congolese dle in elections and sway based European Friends
covered “coordinated in- in attending at least one of presidential candidate public discourse. of Israel lobbying group, a
authentic behavior,” with the nine events organized Martin Fayulu for crying foul But the company’s ef- former political adviser in
accounts posing on behalf by those behind the pages. play in the elections that forts to fight fake accounts Israel’s parliament and an
of certain political candi- Facebook could not con- vaulted Felix Tshisekedi to are “often made in great ex-intelligence agent for
dates, smearing their op- firm whether any of the victory. Many governments haste,” said Jonathan the Israeli air force.
ponents and presenting events actually occurred. and watchdog groups Klinger from the Israeli Digi- Heymann did not return
as local news organiza- Some 5,000 accounts condemned the elections tal Rights Movement, and messages left with Dan-
tions peddling supposedly joined one or more of the as rigged and declared Fa- if Archimedes does have iel Hardegger, Negotions.
leaked information. fake groups. yulu the rightful winner. legitimate links to political CH’s managing director.
“Our team assessed that Gleicher said the accounts Facebook has come un- parties and candidates, Shortly after The Associated
because this group is pri- primarily aimed to influ- der pressure to more ag- Facebook can expect a le- Press got in touch, Hard-
marily organized to con- ence people in Nigeria, gressively and transpar- gal battle. egger said that Heymann
duct deceptive behavior, Senegal, Togo, Angola, Ni- ently tackle misinformation On its website, Archime- requested that his biogra-
we are removing them from ger and Tunisia. aimed at sowing division des presents itself as a phy be removed from the
the platform and blocking Facebook investigations and confusion around consulting firm involved in site.q