Facebook deletes fake news account claiming "AZ vaccine turns you into a chimpanzee"... Russia suspected behind it

Russian marketing firm spreads false information through hundreds of accounts
Suspected fake news promoting domestic Sputnik V vaccine

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Facebook announced that it has deleted hundreds of accounts that posted false information and fake news related to the COVID-19 vaccine. These accounts were identified as belonging to a Russian marketing company, which deliberately disparaged vaccines from certain countries while actively promoting Russian-developed vaccines such as Sputnik V.

According to foreign media including the AP News on the 10th (local time), Facebook deleted 65 Facebook accounts and 243 Instagram accounts that spread false information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Facebook's investigation revealed that the owners of these accounts were a Russian advertising and marketing company called 'Fazze.'

Fazze used hundreds of accounts to post absurd fake news such as "If you get the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine, you turn into a chimpanzee," and deliberately downplayed the safety and immune effects of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. In particular, Fazze reportedly paid influential influencers to spread false information.

Facebook pointed out that Fazze mainly used tactics such as fabricating fake news or fraudulent petitions on online communities like Reddit, Medium, and the petition site 'Change.org,' then sharing links or hashtags to spread them. Notably, they employed a so-called 'credibility laundering' strategy by moving across various media and using reputable figures to enhance the credibility of false information. Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's Head of Cybersecurity Policy, described it as "a sloppy and ineffective but sophisticated setup."

Facebook stated that it shared the findings of this investigation with U.S. regulatory authorities and law enforcement, suggesting that investigations are underway to determine illegality and the parties behind it. This is interpreted as stemming from suspicions that the Russian government is behind Fazze. The AP News noted, "Although Facebook did not specifically identify the exact parties behind this fake news, it highlights that the Russian government is heavily promoting Sputnik V, its domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, overseas for geopolitical interests."