Meta Cleanup Mission
Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, recently shared that they got rid of about 4,800 fake accounts. These accounts were part of a plan coming from China to mess with what people think about US politics, especially the 2024 presidential election.
China’s Double-Sided Game
In this game, the fake accounts didn’t pick sides. They criticized both the Democrats and Republicans using words copied from other sources. It’s like they were trying to stir up trouble without taking a specific side.
Meta’s Confusion and Response
Meta, the Big tech boss admitted they weren’t sure why this was happening. The fake accounts shared stuff from both sides of the political fence, making it tricky to figure out their real goal. Meta doesn’t know if they wanted to make people fight more, gain followers for certain politicians, or just look more real by sharing actual stuff.
China and Russia in the Spotlight
This year Meta has stopped five such tricky campaigns from China, more than any other country. They also shut down a group from Russia. This Russian gang spread stories about Russia invading Ukraine and made up fake media brands.
2024 Elections and Tech Trouble
As the 2024 elections get closer, people worry that tech platforms, like Facebook and others, could be used to cause problems. The US Department of Homeland Security warned that other countries might use fancy tech, like artificial intelligence, to mess with how much people trust the government and make things confusing.
Learning from the Past
This isn’t the first time. In the 2016 presidential election, Russia played with social media to make people fight. So, Meta is trying hard to stop this from happening again as the 2024 elections roll in. It’s a big job to make sure what you see online is real and not just someone trying to trick you.
