Facebook uncovers fake accounts ahead of US mid-term elections

Facebook announced on Tuesday it had detected fake accounts with “coordinated inauthentic behaviour” that are possibly linked to a Russian based group, ahead of the US mid-term elections.

The social network removed 32 pages and accounts from Facebook and Instagram that were publishing American political content against a 'Unite the Right' rally taking place next week. They also tried to mislead users and to organise rallies ahead of November’s U.S. congressional elections.

The company suspects that the accounts could be linked to the Internet Research Agency, a Russian group with ties to the Kremlin. Although it found that one page was co-administered by a known IRA account, it still lacks technical evidence to state definitively who is behind the fake users.

"It's clear whoever set up these accounts went to much greater lengths to obscure their identities than the Internet Research Agency did in the run up to the 2016 presidential election," said Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg in a call with reporters.

"Security is an arms race and it's never done. We've made it harder for inauthentic actors to operate on Facebook. Yet we face determined well-funded adversaries who won't give up and who are constantly changing tactics," Sandberg said. "That means we need to continually improve as well."

The ‘meddlers’ behind the accounts removed on Tuesday had a total of 290,000 followers and used virtual private networks (VPNs) to conceal their locations and internet phone services. They were also paying third parties around $11,000 for 150 Facebook and Instagram ads.

"Security isn't a problem you ever completely solve," company chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, said in a Facebook post.

"We face sophisticated and well-funded adversaries, including nation states, that are always evolving and trying new attacks."

Facebook said it would continue to investigate the activity and share any further findings with law enforcement officials and Congress.