Russia interfering in US election, it’s getting harder to detect: Tech giants

Facebok and Twitter revealed evidence on Thursday suggesting Russian efforts to interfere in the US presidential election are getting more sophisticated and harder to detect.

The companies said they have removed dozens of fake accounts and pages from their services.

Facebook said the network of accounts it removed was in the “early stages” of building an audience. It was operated by people in Ghana and Nigeria on behalf of individuals in Russia. The accounts posted about topics such as black history, celebrity gossip and fashion.

Twitter, meanwhile, said the accounts it removed tried to sow discord by emphasising social issues such as race and civil rights without favouring any particular candidate or ideology.

The tactics the accounts used to avoid detection — and that Russia has essentially outsourced the work to countries in West Africa — shows that foreign interference remains a challenge for Facebook in the months leading to November.

The accounts Facebook took down focused on stoking racial divisions. Facebok and Twitter revealed evidence on Thursday suggesting Russian efforts to interfere in the US presidential election are getting more sophisticated and harder to detect.

The companies said they have removed dozens of fake accounts and pages from their services.

Facebook said the network of accounts it removed was in the “early stages” of building an audience. It was operated by people in Ghana and Nigeria on behalf of individuals in Russia. The accounts posted about topics such as black history, celebrity gossip and fashion.

Twitter, meanwhile, said the accounts it removed tried to sow discord by emphasising social issues such as race and civil rights without favouring any particular candidate or ideology.

The tactics the accounts used to avoid detection — and that Russia has essentially outsourced the work to countries in West Africa — shows that foreign interference remains a challenge for Facebook in the months leading to November.

The accounts Facebook took down focused on stoking racial divisions.