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Chinese propaganda network on Facebook used AI-generated faces

Facebook removed two networks of fake accounts spreading government propaganda on the platform Tuesday, one originating in China and one in the Philippines.

In its latest report on this kind of coordinated campaign, the company says it took down 155 Facebook accounts, 11 pages, nine groups and seven Instagram accounts connected to the Chinese activity and 57 accounts, 31 Pages and 20 Instagram accounts for the activity in the Philippines.

Both operations broke Facebooks rules against coordinated inauthentic behavior on behalf of a foreign or government entity.

The company released the report Thursday in coordination with Graphika, a social analytics company that specializes in disinformation. Graphika regularly analyzes this kind of activity in coordination with Facebook and its reports dive into more depth about techniques.

Those fake faces are employed to elude detection, but because their visual signature often ends up with subtle quirks and anomalies, GANs can sometimes be easily detected.

The Chinese campaign, which Facebook traced to Chinas Fujian province, included a small volume of activity directed at the U.S. In 2020, the network of fake accounts created three U.S.-focused groups, one pro-Trump, one pro-Biden-Harris and one called Quack Quack that made anti-Trump posts.

Unlike some campaigns, the people involved in this activity took steps to hide their identities using VPNs and other tactics. Those accounts shared content in Filipino and English about local news and events including domestic politics, military activities against terrorism, pending anti-terrorism bill, criticism of communism, youth activists and opposition, the Communist Party of the Philippines and its military wing the New Peoples Army, and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, according to Facebook.

Original article
Author: Taylor Hatmaker

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