Facebook uncovers Chinese network behind fake expert
Facebook owner Meta Platforms has removed more than 500
accounts linked to an online disinformation network primarily based in China.
The accounts had promoted the claims of a fake Swiss
biologist called "Wilson Edwards", who alleged the US was meddling in
efforts to find the origins of Covid-19.
Edwards' comments had been widely carried by Chinese state
media outlets.
However, the Swiss embassy said that it was unlikely this
person existed.
Meta said in its report the social media campaign was
"largely unsuccessful," and targeted English-speaking audiences in
the United States and Britain and Chinese-speaking audiences in Taiwan, Hong
Kong and Tibet.
Earlier in July, an account posing as a Swiss biologist
called Wilson Edwards had made statements on Facebook and Twitter that the
United States was applying pressure on the World Health Organization scientists
who were studying the origins of Covid-19 in an attempt to blame the virus on
China.
State media outlets, including CGTN, Shanghai Daily and
Global Times, had cited the so-called biologist based on his Facebook profile.
However, the Swiss embassy said in August that the person
likely did not exist, as the Facebook account was opened only two weeks prior
to its first post and only had three friends.
It added "there was no registry of a Swiss citizen with
the name "Wilson Edwards" and no academic articles under the
name", and urged Chinese media outlets to take down any mention of him.
Meta Platforms said in a November report that its
investigation into the matter found "links to individuals in mainland
China, including employees of Sichuan Silence Information Technology Co Ltd...
and individuals associated with Chinese state infrastructure companies based
around the world."
Sichuan Silence Information's website describes the company
as a network and information security company that provides technical support
to China's Ministry of Public Security and CNCERT, the key team that
coordinates China's cybersecurity emergency response.
Facebook said it had removed a total of 524 Facebook
accounts, 20 pages, four groups and 86 Instagram accounts after reviewing
public reports that centred around the fake Swiss biologist.
The persona's original post was initially shared and liked
by fake Facebook accounts, and later forwarded by authentic users, most of
which belonged to employees of Chinese state infrastructure companies in over
20 countries, Meta said.
It added that the operation used Virtual Personal Network
(VPN) infrastructure to conceal its origin, and to give Edwards a more rounded
personality. It also said that his profile photo also appeared to have been
generated using machine-learning capabilities.
The investigation into the origins of Covid-19 have been a
source of tension between the US, China and other countries, as the source of
the virus remains murky almost two years after it was first discovered.
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