Facebook Inc. removed hundreds of accounts, groups and pages linked to an online syndicate that has been accused of spreading fake news and hate speech in Indonesia, less than three months before a presidential election in the world’s third-largest democracy. Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said in a statement dated Thursday that the company had removed more than 1,500 Facebook accounts, groups and pages, as well as 208 Instagram accounts, that were linked to the Saracen Group, an online syndicate in Indonesia. Indonesia, preparing for nationwide elections April 9, has struggled in recent years to counter fake news and hate speech spread via social media. News and rumors spread quickly through messaging services like WhatsApp and social-media sites like Facebook and Twitter in Indonesia. FACEBOOK KILLS HUNDREDS OF 'INAUTHENTIC' ACCOUNTS LINKED TO IRAN“The Saracen Group’s coordinated abuse of the platform using inauthentic accounts is a violation of our policies and we have therefore banned the entire organization from the platform,” Mr. Gleicher said.

Source: Fox News February 03, 2019 14:15 UTC