Facebook Removes Hundreds of Accounts Linked to Russian Advertising Firm Behind Vaccine Smear Campaign

Strategic Insights -

Facebook said on Tuesday that it removed hundreds of accounts linked to a mysterious advertising agency operating out of Russia that sought to pay social media influencers to smear COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca. The network of 65 Facebook accounts and 243 Instagram accounts was traced back to Fazze, an advertising and marketing firm registered in the United Kingdom, which worked primarily from Russia on behalf of an unknown client.

Key Takeaways:

  • Facebook removed 308 accounts linked to Fazze, an advertising and marketing firm operating out of Russia, which sought to pay social media influencers to smear COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
  • The network used fake accounts to spread misleading claims that disparaged the safety of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, with one claim suggesting AstraZeneca's shot would turn a person into a chimpanzee.
  • The fake accounts targeted audiences in India, Latin America, and to a lesser extent, the U.S., using several social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram.
  • Fazze contacted social media influencers in several countries with offers to pay them for reposting the misleading content, but the ploy backfired when influencers in Germany and France exposed the network's offer.
  • Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of security policy, stated that while the campaign was "sloppy and didn't have very good reach, it was an elaborate set up."
  • The Fazze network also contacted French YouTuber Léo Grasset, who refused the offer and went public with his concerns, saying "Too many red flags" and that he decided not to do it.
  • Facebook also banned Fazze from its platforms, and the firm's effort to enlist social media influencers did not get much traction online, with some posts failing to get even a single response.
  • Facebook investigators say some influencers did post the material, but later deleted it when stories about Fazze's work began to emerge.

Statistics:

  • 308 total accounts removed by Facebook (65 Facebook accounts and 243 Instagram accounts)
  • 65 Facebook accounts linked to Fazze
  • 243 Instagram accounts linked to Fazze
  • 2 countries where influencers were contacted by Fazze (Germany and France)
  • 45-60 second video offered by Fazze to influencers in France
  • 1 YouTube influencer exposed the network's offer (Léo Grasset)

Sources:

  • AP news wire
  • Facebook
  • Associated Press