Facebook Removes 32 Pages, After Detecting Influence Operation Ahead Of 2018 Midterm Elections

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Facebook built its name on connecting people, but the tech giant is now in a virtual struggle to separate real users from fake ones.

The company announced Tuesday it closed 32 automated profiles that consistently pushed out divisive information on Facebook and Instagram with a sole goal to cause strife among Americans.

Steve Taormino, cyber expert and CEO of CC&A Strategic Media, says the timing just months before the midterm elections is on purpose.

"It's really bad because you are not really interacting with the peers," Taormino said. "You are basically interacting with an algorithm or a computer and that computer is designed to do nothing but inflame the topic matter."

The characteristics are reminiscent of Russian bots that attacked during the 2016 election, spreading false information on controversial topics including guns or race.

Those targeted messages spread even in Baltimore, where posts mentioned Freddie Gray.

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg said the company is spending money to combat this activity.

"This kind of behavior is not allowed on Facebook because we don't want organizations or individuals creating networks of accounts that mislead people about who they are or what they are doing." Sandberg said.

Some Democrats and Republicans blame the Russians.

But Taormino says bad actors have mastered to hide-out in cyberspace, and they could be based anywhere.

"Will this happen again? Taormino said. "It will definitely happen again."

Facebook owns Instagram and it announced it uncovered similar accounts there too. Taormino says these fake accounts will continue to emerge, so users should scrutinize what they are seeing.

Facebook announced some of these profiles set up events, including two protests which were scheduled for next month.