Facebook deletes network of pro-Bolsonaro pages
Facebook today (Oct. 22) deleted a total of 68 pages and 43 profiles for displaying non-authentic behavior and violating spam policies. The accounts belonged to a group called Raposo Fernandes Associados (RFA). Among them were the profiles Folha Política, Movimento Contra Corrupção, TV Revolta, and Correio do Poder, which disseminated conservative content and expressed support for right-wing presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro.
RFA owners created a number of fake pages and different accounts with the same name. The practice contravenes Facebook rules. The pages also posted content classified as click bait, forwarding users to external sites with a large amount of ads and close to no information.
The note released by the social networking site reports that the move was motivated by the violation of norms, and not by the content published. “Our decision was based on the fact that they were using fake accounts and repeatedly publishing spam. This behavior was detected by Facebook, and there are no signs of abuse on our other apps,” the text reads.
The communication adds that, even though spam is usually associated with services and products being offered illicitly, the company identified pages and profiles spreading “sensationalist content of political nature” throughout the ideological range, aimed at directing users to sites outside Facebook and profiting from ads on them. This is how RFA is reported to have operated.
The case was brought to light by newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, in collaboration with US ONG Avaaz. RFA is said to have built an “empire” of pages and sites which Facebook had secretly brought under scrutiny.
Thus far, presidential hopeful Bolsonaro has not made any remarks on the matter on social media.
