https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63731751 BBC Homepage * Skip to content * Accessibility Help * Your account * Home * News * Sport * Reel * Worklife * Travel * Future * More menu More menu Search BBC * Home * News * Sport * Reel * Worklife * Travel * Future * Culture * Music * TV * Weather * Sounds Close menu BBC News Menu * Home * War in Ukraine * Coronavirus * Climate * Video * World * US & Canada * UK * Business * Tech More * Science * Stories * Entertainment & Arts * Health * In Pictures * Reality Check * World News TV * Newsbeat * Long Reads * Tech Meta claims US military link to online propaganda campaign * Published 4 days ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Arial photo the pentagonImage source, Getty Images By Chris Vallance Technology reporter "Individuals associated with the US military" are linked to an online propaganda campaign, Meta's latest adversarial-threat report says. The campaign was the first major covert pro-US propaganda operation taken down by a big-tech company, independent researchers said in August. It supported the US and its allies, while opposing countries such as Russia, China and Iran. But experts said it was largely ineffective. On Facebook, 39 accounts, 16 pages, and two groups were removed, as well as 26 accounts on Instagram, for violating the platforms' policy against "coordinated inauthentic behaviour". "This network originated in the United States," Meta wrote. It focused on countries including Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Yemen - and mirrored tactics commonly used in propaganda campaigns against the West, including: * fake personas * artificially generated images * campaigns across multiple platforms Doctored picture of actressImage source, Graphika/Stanford University Image caption, One fake account used a doctored picture (left) of actress Valeria Menendez (right) The accounts targeting Iran had criticised Iranian authorities and their policies and posted about issues such as women's rights, researchers said. Some of those supporting the US had posed as independent media outlets and some had tried to pass off content from legitimate outlets, such as BBC News Russian, as their own. The operation ran across many internet services, including Twitter, YouTube, Telegram, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, according to Meta. 'Public trust' "Although the people behind this operation attempted to conceal their identities and coordination, our investigation found links to individuals associated with the US military," its report says. But most of the posts had "little to no engagement" from real users. US think tank the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab managing editor Andy Carvin told the BBC when the campaign was first revealed, it would be "ineffective and counterproductive" for democracies to undertake such campaigns, because it meant using "the very tactics used by your adversaries" and "further eroding public trust". Meta's announcement confirms previous reporting by the Washington Post. Sources told the newspaper concern over the operation had made the Pentagon complete "a sweeping audit" of how the US military conducted clandestine information warfare. The US Department of Defense told BBC News it was "aware of the report published by Meta". "At this time, we do not have any further comments on the report or potential actions that may be taken by the department as a result of the report," it added. More on this story * Instagram 'wrong' to take down drill music video + 5 days ago Instagram logo on a smartphone * Twitter and Meta take down pro-US propaganda + 26 August Doctored picture of actress Related Topics * Disinformation * Military * United States Top Stories * Live. China Covid protests spread to major cities * Shocking protests are huge challenge for China's leaders + Published 11 hours ago * Attacks on energy grid may be genocide - Ukraine + Published 6 hours ago Features * Decoding an emperor's secret 500-year-old letter A portrait of Charles V by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz (1553-1608) * Why millions of Ukrainians have no power as winter nears A woman carries the child after the snowfall as daily life continues in Borodianka * The photographer who preserved rural Indian life Mother and child in Gujarat * * 'We can't live in a world where dogs eat children' Keketso Saule's aunt shows a photo of her nephew on her mobile phone * Could 300-year-old wheat feed a changing planet? Wheat * The pirate that changed British radio. VideoThe pirate that changed British radio Dread Broadcasting Corporation: The first black music station in Europe * Sunday's name the World Cup player quiz A blurred image of a footballer (for 27 November daily World Cup quiz) * The science behind our love of spicy food Close up of female mouth biting red chilli * In pictures: Aftermath of Italian landslide A bus and damaged cars are seen after being dragged into the Tyrrhenian Sea Elsewhere on the BBC * Is this the greatest taboo of all? pensive sitting * 'I regret the role, not my daughter' Mum with baby * Artemis I: The giant rocket setting new records NASA rocket Most Read 1. 1 Daughter barred from watching father's execution 2. 2 Museum closes 'racist, sexist and ableist' display 3. 3 Shocking protests are huge challenge for China's leaders 4. 4 Attacks on energy grid may be genocide - Ukraine 5. 5 Woman phoned father as mudslide hit island home 6. 6 'We can't live in a world where dogs eat children' 7. 7 Decoding an emperor's secret 500-year-old letter 8. 8 Covid protests grip China's major cities 9. 9 Germany score late for crucial draw against Spain 10. 10 Key hotel in Somalia stormed by al-Shabab BBC News Services * On your mobile * On smart speakers * Get news alerts * Contact BBC News * Home * News * Sport * Reel * Worklife * Travel * Future * Culture * Music * TV * Weather * Sounds * Terms of Use * About the BBC * Privacy Policy * Cookies * Accessibility Help * Parental Guidance * Contact the BBC * Get Personalised Newsletters * Why you can trust the BBC * Advertise with us * AdChoices / Do Not Sell My Info (c) 2022 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.