The for-profit Israeli Political Business Intelligence Agency (STOIC) has created hundreds of fake Facebook accounts focused on the Israel-Hamas war. Meta has since closed those accounts.
According to a report, Meta identified 510 fake Facebook accounts along with 32 Instagram accounts. Fake information was being spread from these accounts.
According to Meta, these accounts mainly spread information about the Israel-Hamas war and Middle East politics. Most of the posts are written in English. In particular, there were calls for the release of Israeli hostages, praise of the Israeli military and criticism of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
The owner of these accounts was using fake accounts from behind. Even now, Meta said they bought unverified engagements from Vietnam to boost the popularity of these accounts.
The organization was banned after it was discovered that the fake account was opened by Meta Israel’s STOIC in Tel Aviv.
