The ads featuring politician and convicted fraudster Ilan Shor were ultimately removed by Facebook but not before they were seen millions of times in...
WASHINGTON — Facebook allowed an exiled Moldovan oligarch with ties to the Kremlin to run ads calling for protests and uprisings against the pro-Western government, even though he and his political party were on U.S. sanctions lists.
Seeking to exploit anger over inflation and rising fuel prices, the paid posts from Shor’s political party targeted the government of pro-Western President Maia Sandu, who earlier this week detailed what she said was a Russian plot to topple her government using external saboteurs. Rules governing the sanctions list prohibit U.S. companies from engaging in financial transactions with listed individuals and groups. The U.S. Treasury Department, which manages the sanctions program, declined to comment publicly when asked about the ads.
The ads were identified by researchers at Reset, a London-based nonprofit that researches social media’s impact on democracy, who shared their findings with The Associated Press. Felix Kartte, a senior adviser at Reset, said Meta’s response to disinformation and propaganda in Moldova could have sweeping implications for European security.
The library confirms the ads placed by Shor and his party were seen millions of times before they were ultimately removed. “You and I will have to pull them out of their offices by the ears and throw them out of our country like evil spirits,” Shor tells the audience.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What is happening in Moldova, Ukraine's tiny European neighbor with a pro-Russian movement?Moldova, a small European nation to Ukraine's western border, has found itself increasingly caught in the crosshairs of Russia's war against Kyiv.
Read more »
Inside the Kremlin’s disinformation war against UkraineA document obtained by Yahoo News from a Western intelligence agency reveals how Vladimir Putin’s security services rely on local journalists to launder narratives intended to undermine Ukraine’s unexpectedly robust performance on the battlefield.
Read more »
Russian official's 'suicide' latest mysterious death that raises questions for KremlinAnother high-ranking Russian official has mysteriously died after appearing to fall from her 16th-floor apartment in St. Petersburg.
Read more »
Former Georgia cop lawyers up after resigning over gay marriage Facebook post: 'Unconstitutional violation'Lawyers for Georgia ex-cop Jacob Kersey have sent letters to the City of Port Wentworth and its police department alleging his constitutional rights were violated over a Facebook post.
Read more »
Facebook owner Meta increases Zuckerberg's security allowance by $4 millionMeta Platforms Inc said on Wednesday it had increased the security allowance given to Chief Executive and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his family by $4 million to $14 million.
Read more »
House Republicans subpoena Apple, Facebook and Google over content moderationThe Republican-led House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed the chief executives of five major tech companies seeking records and information on their content moderation practices.
Read more »