Twitter and Facebook take first actions against China for using fake accounts to sow discord in Hong Kong | Washington Post

In other Twitter disinformation news, see Fact-Checking Trump’s Claim That Google ‘Manipulated’ Millions of Votes for Clinton | NYT

"Twitter said it was suspending nearly a thousand Chinese accounts and banning advertising from state-owned media companies, citing a “significant state-backed information operation” related to protests in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Facebook said it was removing five Facebook accounts, seven pages and three groups after being tipped off to the use of “a number of deceptive tactics, including the use of fake accounts.”

The new takedowns by Facebook and Twitter reflect the extent to which disinformation has become a global scourge, far surpassing the once-secret efforts of Russian agents to stoke social unrest in the United States during the 2016 presidential election. Researchers recently have pointed to similar campaigns linked to Saudi Arabia, Israel, China, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela, efforts aimed at shaping discussions on social media beyond their borders."

Twitter and Facebook take first actions against China for using fake accounts to sow discord in Hong Kong | Washington Post