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Facebook removed 1.3 billion fake accounts between October and December

The company has also removed millions of posts regarding COVID-19.

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Image: KnowTechie

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Since the 2016 USA Presidential elections, and allegations of misinformation being spread through Facebook, the social media company has been working on removing content and improving its public image. Now, the social giant has confirmed the removal of 1.3 billion fake accounts between October 2020 and December 2020. For this purpose, Facebook had 35,000 of its employees working on managing misinformation alone.

During the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, Facebook also did away with around 12 million pieces of related misinformation. Judging by these figures, one can imagine the extent of fake news being spread through social media.

In a recent statement, Guy Rosen, VP, Integrity at Facebook said that the company has time and again been accused of “turning a blind eye” to misinformation out of financial interests but that these numbers help show the full picture.

Rosen also notes that misinformation can be shared by “regular people in good faith.” However, even if they make this mistake unknowingly, it is still a problem. Thus, Facebook’s primary approach is to reduce the visibility of the content and maybe even use a warning label. The label deters 95% of people from checking the content, according to the company.

Since the start of the pandemic, social media platforms have been flooded by misinformation. Fake claims and conspiracy theories on social media have drawn massive concerns for the consequences that online activity can have on the world. Removal of fake accounts is surely a nice way to combat misinformation.

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Writes technology news, hoards books, and gadgets, makes and breaks electronics, and sleeps. That's how Priya spends her day.

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