Meta Reveals China-Based Network Targeting India and Global Sikh Community
Social media giant Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has uncovered a China-based network targeting the global Sikh community and Indian affairs. This revelation highlights the ongoing digital interference in international communities and politics.
Key Highlights
- Network Details:
- Meta's quarterly report for May 2024 disclosed the removal of 37 Facebook accounts, 13 Facebook pages, five Facebook groups, and nine Instagram accounts.
- These accounts violated Meta’s policies against coordinated inauthentic behavior.
- Targeted Communities:
- The network primarily targeted Sikhs worldwide, including in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, the UK, and Nigeria.
- The activity also extended to multiple platforms like Telegram and X (formerly Twitter).
- Operation K:
- The China-based network created a fictitious activist movement called "Operation K," which called for pro-Sikh protests in New Zealand and Australia.
- These fake accounts posed as Sikhs, posting content about current events and manipulating images related to floods in Punjab, the Khalistan independence movement, and the assassination of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
- Influence Operations:
- BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized that the BJP has been a target of such influence operations and called for a thorough investigation into these activities.
- He expressed concerns about the timing of Meta's report release, suggesting it could have been released earlier.
- Investigation Findings:
- Meta's internal investigation found that the network used compromised and fake accounts to manage pages and groups, with many accounts detected and disabled by automated systems before the investigation.
- The network aimed to amplify their content by creating clusters of fake accounts, making the campaign appear more popular than it actually was.
- Engagement Statistics:
- Approximately 2,700 accounts followed one or more of these Facebook pages.
- About 1,300 accounts joined one or more of these groups.
- Less than 100 accounts followed one or more of the Instagram accounts.
- Security Insights:
- Indian security agencies suggested that such targeted operations were previously conducted by Pakistani social media accounts, indicating a possible joint operation between China and Pakistan.
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Summary in Simple Points
- Meta's Discovery: Meta identified and removed a China-based network targeting the global Sikh community and Indian affairs on Facebook and Instagram.
- Accounts Removed: 37 Facebook accounts, 13 pages, five groups, and nine Instagram accounts were removed.
- Operation K: A fake movement called "Operation K" was created to call for pro-Sikh protests in New Zealand and Australia.
- Content Posted: Fake accounts posted about current events, the Khalistan movement, and manipulated images.
- Network’s Reach: 2,700 accounts followed these pages, 1,300 joined the groups, and under 100 followed the Instagram accounts.
- Security Concerns: The operation might be a joint effort between China and Pakistan, raising concerns about foreign interference in Indian politics.
This investigation reveals the extent to which foreign entities can influence and interfere in global communities and political landscapes through coordinated online activities.