Facebook (NASDAQ:$FB) announced today that they will be implementing a tool to help users see what Facebook pages or Instagram accounts were created by Russian operatives to provide misinformation.
The announcement is linked to the allegations Facebook has received for its role in the 2016 U.S. election. The tool will create a portal allowing users to see what information they have liked or followed on the social media platforms was created by Russian actors between January 2015 and August 2017. It will be ready for use by the end of this year in the Facebook Help Center.
“It is important that people understand how foreign actors tried to sow division and mistrust using Facebook before and after the 2016 U.S. election,” stated Facebook in a post on its website. “That’s why, as we have discovered information, we have continually come forward to share it publicly and have provided it to congressional investigators.”
Facebook announced in September that it had discovered over 3,000 ads addressing social and political issues. These ads ran in the U.S. between 2015 and 2017, and seem to come from accounts associated with an entity called the Internet Research Agency, which is a Russian company that engaged in an online operation on behalf of the Russian government. Facebook has shared these ads with congressional investigators.
126 million people were reached by the Russian campaign designed to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election, with over 80,000 Facebook posts being culpable.
Facebook comments that the ads and accounts “appeared to focus on amplifying divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum – touching on topics from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights.”
Perhaps, as a result, Facebook shares have dipped 0.5% to close at 180.87 on the stock market today. However, overall, Facebook shares are up 56% this year. Facebook also received multiple price-target hikes on Nov. 2, after its quarterly earnings report well exceeded past estimates.
Featured Image: depositphotos/IgorTishenko
