Page 24 - aruba-today-20180823

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Thursday 23 augusT 2018
Facebook uncovers new global misinformation operations

By RYAN NAKASHIMA resulted from four investiga-
AP Technology Writer tions — three involving Iran,
Facebook has identified one involving Russia.
and banned hundreds The first focused on a group
of accounts, groups and called "Liberty Front Press"
pages engaged in mis- that set up multiple ac-
leading political behavior, counts on Facebook and
a far larger discovery than Instagram that were fol-
a "sophisticated" effort it lowed by 155,000 other
reported three weeks ago accounts. The group was
with great fanfare. linked to Iranian state me-
The social network said dia based on website reg-
Tuesday that it had re- istrations, IP addresses and
moved 652 pages, groups, administrator accounts,
and accounts linked to Facebook said. The first
Russia and, unexpectedly, accounts were created in
Iran, for "coordinated in- 2013 and posted political
authentic behavior" that content about the Middle
included the sharing of po- East, the U.K., and the U.S.,
litical material. although the focus on the
Facebook has significantly West increased starting last
stepped up policing of its year, Facebook said.
platform since last year, "The Iranians are now fol-
when it acknowledged that In this April 4, 2013 file photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg walks at the company's lowing the Kremlin's play-
Russian agents successfully headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. book," said Virginia Sen.
ran political influence op- Associated Press Mark Warner, the top
erations on its platform that Democrat on the Senate
were aimed at swaying the gional politics in the Middle declined to say how or cluding now nation states," intelligence committee. On
2016 presidential election. East. why the state-backed ac- he said. He described the Sept. 5, leaders of Face-
Other social media net- Shortly after Facebook's tors were behaving the deception campaigns as book, Google and Twitter
works have done likewise, announcement, Twitter way they did. But it said it "sophisticated and well- are scheduled to testify be-
and continue to turn up revealed that it had also has informed the U.S. and funded efforts that aren't fore the intelligence com-
fresh evidence of political suspended 284 accounts U.K. governments as well as going to stop." mittee about their efforts
disinformation campaigns. for "coordinated manipula- the U.S. Treasury and State FireEye, a cybersecurity to combat political disinfor-
Facebook's action in late tion," many of them appar- departments because of firm that alerted Facebook mation on their social me-
July against 32 accounts ently originating from Iran. ongoing sanctions against to some of this activity, dia networks.
possibly linked to Russia A day earlier, Microsoft Iran. noted that it "does not ap- FireEye called the Liberty
generally involved U.S. po- also reported a new Rus- "There's a lot we don't know pear to have been specifi- Front Press group an influ-
litical activity ahead of the sian effort to impersonate yet," CEO Mark Zuckerberg cally designed to influence ence operation apparently
midterm elections in No- conservative U.S. websites , said on a hastily called con- the 2018 U.S. midterm elec- aimed at promoting Iranian
vember. By contrast, the potentially as part of an es- ference call with reporters tions, as it extends well be- political interests "including
latest group of apparently pionage campaign. Tuesday afternoon. yond U.S. audiences and anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli, and
fake accounts appeared The social network said it "You're going to see people U.S. politics." pro-Palestinian themes"
more intent on influencing had not concluded its re- try to abuse the services in Facebook said its latest ac- and support for the U.S.-
U.S. foreign policy and re- view of the material and every way possible ... in- tion on Tuesday morning Iran nuclear deal.q

Study: Many teens - and parents – feel tethered to phones

want to take stock of their perconnected" and notes with social media.
own screen time habits. that nearly three-fourths Experts say parents have a
A study out Wednesday check messages or noti- big role in their kids' screen
from the Pew Research fications as soon as they habits and setting a good
Center found that two- wake up. Parents do the example is a big part of it.
thirds of parents are con- same, but at a lower if still "Kids don't always do what
cerned about the amount substantial rate — 57 per- we say but they do as we
of time their teenage cent. do," said Donald Shifrin, a
children spend in front of Big tech companies face a professor of pediatrics at
screens, while more than growing backlash against the University of Washing-
a third expressed concern the addictive nature of ton School of Medicine,
about their own screen their gadgets and apps, who was not involved in
time. the endless notifications the Pew study. "Parents are
Meanwhile, more than half and other features created the door that kids will walk
of teens said they often or to keep people tethered to through on their way to the
sometimes find their par- their screens. world."
In this July 13, 2016, file photo a group of teenagers play ents or caregivers to be dis- Many teens are trying to The study surveyed 743 U.S.
"Pokemon Go" in downtown Hartselle, Ala. tracted when the teens are do something about it: 52 teens and 1,058 U.S. par-
Associated Press trying to have a conversa- percent said they have ents of teens from March
tion with them. The study cut back on the time they 7 to April 10. The margin
NEW YORK (AP) — Parents noses constantly in their calls teens' relationship with spend on their phones and of error is 4.5 percentage
lament their teenagers' phones, but they might their phones at times "hy- 57 percent did the same points.q