Facebook, Twitter remove fake sites ahead of Bangladesh election

Social networking giants Facebook and Twitter have removed dozens of fake news sites and accounts pertaining to information praising the government and criticising the opposition parties ahead of the Bangladesh general electionsWhile Facebook said that it took down nine pages and six accounts for their coordinated inauthentic behaviour on its platform in Bangladesh Twitter said that it suspended 15 accounts originating from Bangladesh for engaging in coordinated platform manipulationIn a statement Nathaniel Gleicher head of Facebook cybersecurity policy said that Facebook discovered these pages that were designed to look like independent news outlets and posted progovernment and antiopposition contentOur investigation indicates that this activity is linked to individuals associated with the Bangladesh government This kind of behaviour is not allowed on Facebook under our misrepresentation policy because we dont want people or organisations creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are or what theyre doing Gleicher addedDuring the crackdown it was revealed that nearly 12000 people had followed at least one of the fake Facebook pagesFurthermore Twitter said in a statement Based on our initial analysis it appears that some of these accounts may have ties to statesponsored actors Our investigations are still ongoing and our enforcement actions could expand However at this point we have taken action on a total of 15 accountsThose accounts had a relatively low number of followers with most having fewer than 50 As we have in the past we will publicly release information about these accounts when we complete our investigation it addedThe 11th general election of Bangladesh is scheduled to take place on December 30 Almost 1042 million registered voters will cast their votes at about 40000 polling stations to elect their representatives from across the countryTo ensure a free and fair election more than 600000 security personnel from police Border Guard Bangladesh Rapid Action Battalion Coast Guard Ansar and Village Defence Party would be deployed at polling stations Many countries including India and various international organisations are sending their observers to oversee the electoral process in the South Asian nationThe ruling Bangladesh Awami Leagueled Grand Alliance will be locking horns against the Bangladesh Nationalist Party BNPled Jatiya Oikya Front National Unity Front and Left Democratic Alliance where 300 constituencies of the 350member Parliament are up for grabs Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking to win a third termThe polls are considered highoctane for the Awami League which is being accused of its authoritarian moves including the violent suppression of student protesters and the arrest of prominent photojournalist Shahidul AlamFor the BNP which is looking down and out following the conviction of its chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia for corruption the party is looking to reestablish itself in the political spectrum after five yearsThe BNP also boycotted the last general elections in 2014 due to widespread political violence due to which the Awami League won the controversial polls with a thumping majority of 234 seatsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever