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ISMAIL AKWEI
BY Ismail Akwei, 9:20am May 17, 2019,

Facebook busts Israeli company that manipulates African politics and elections

ISMAIL AKWEI
by Ismail Akwei, 9:20am May 17, 2019,
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg visit Nigeria's President Buhari in Abuja

Facebook has announced the removal of 265 Facebook and Instagram accounts, Facebook Pages, Groups and events linked to an Israeli company, Archimedes Group, which has targeted African elections and politicians using fake news.

In a statement released on Thursday, Facebook said the activity originated in Israel and focused on Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Angola, Niger and Tunisia. The company was found to have spent around $812,000 on ads on Facebook paid for in Brazilian reals, Israeli shekel, and US dollars between December 2012 and April 2019.

Facebook busts Israeli company that manipulates African politics and elections
Caption: Mali: Justice Survey on a Mysterious Gold Mine from Airbus to Mali
Airbus group is quoted in a judicial investigation for scam on a Malian gold mine in balance sheet deposit, whose shareholders have been ruined. The investment project of the aerospace giant in this mine, LED by a close to Malian power, seemed intended to clear occult funds to facilitate the obtaining of military markets in the country. This is a very embarrassing new business….

They represented themselves as locals and local news organizations and published allegedly leaked information about politicians which gained them a following of 2.8 million accounts, said Facebook’s Head of Cybersecurity Policy, Nathaniel Gleicher.

Facebook busts Israeli company that manipulates African politics and elections

They also used fake accounts to run the Pages which frequently posted “about political news, including topics like elections in various countries, candidate views and criticism of political opponents” thereby artificially increasing engagement, said the statement.

“It has repeatedly violated our misrepresentation and other policies, including by engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior. This organization and all its subsidiaries are now banned from Facebook, and it has been issued a cease and desist letter,” it added.

Facebook busts Israeli company that manipulates African politics and elections
Caption: Faithful to only himself, Martin Fayulu criticizes and rejects the results of the presidential election, which has unfolded transparently and in an exemplary calmness. It is time for him to admit his defeat to president Tshisekedi who has been elected in a democratic way.

The Israeli firm claims on its website that it has taken “significant roles in many political and public campaigns, among them Presidential elections and other social media projects all over the world.”

Facebook has come under scrutiny over the proliferation of fake news on its platforms especially during elections across the world. The social networking company has taken several measures including the launch of fact-checking tools to curb the problem.

The fake news problem has also ignited discussions on cybersecurity in Africa where some countries like Kenya have passed laws that criminalize the dissemination of fake news.

Last year, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the Computer and Cybercrimes Bill, 2017, which spells out harsh punishment for those who use computers for unauthorised interference, unauthorised interception, unauthorised disclosure of passwords, cyber espionage, false publications, child pornography, cyber terrorism and wrongful distribution of obscene or intimate images.

“The Act also deals with computer forgery, computer fraud, cyber harassment, publication of false information, cybersquatting, identity theft and impersonation, phishing, interception of electronic messages or money transfers, willful misdirection of electronic messages and fraudulent use of electronic data among other cyber crimes,” said a statement on the government website.

Human rights activists have raised concerns about such laws insisting that clauses on the spread of false information could be used to target the media.

Last Edited by:Victor Ativie Updated: May 15, 2020

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