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Facebook targets Russian misinformation

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Facebook said it took action against a Russian misinformation campaign targeting Ukrainian users, as well as an effort to hack accounts of Ukrainian public figures, as tech companies continue to face pressure in the U.S. and abroad to tackle potential Russian misinformation campaigns online.

Let’s jump into the news.

Facebook cracks down on Russian campaign

Facebook took down dozens of fake accounts and pages spreading misinformation about the Russian-led military invasion in Ukraine, company executives said Sunday, while also taking measures to combat hacking efforts in the region.

Misinformation campaign: The misinformation campaign was spread by what Meta executives called a “small network” of 48 pages, accounts and groups operating in Russia and Ukraine.

The fake accounts operated fictitious personas across Facebook and Instagram, as well as platforms outside of Meta, including Twitter, YouTube and Telegram, according to Meta’s director of threat disruption David Agranovich.

Hacked accounts: In the past several days, the platform has also seen an “increased targeting” of public figures, including military officials. Agranovich said the hacking effort was carried out by Ghostwriter, a threat actor that has been tracked in the security community.

Facebook has taken steps to secure the accounts and alert users. The platform has also blocked the fishing domains that hackers were using to “trick people” into compromising their accounts, he said.

Meta would not share the names of specific accounts that were hacked, but executives said at least one journalist and some prominent military and government officials were hacked.

Read more here.

Twitter highlights state media

Twitter announced Monday that it will begin adding labels to tweets containing links to Russian state-affiliated media websites.

The platform already applied labels to state media accounts, but Monday’s announcement extends that designation to links shared by all users.

“Since the invasion, we’ve seen more than 45,000 Tweets a day sharing links to Russian state-affiliated media outlets,” Twitter site integrity lead Yoel Roth tweeted. “While we’ve labeled the accounts of hundreds of global state media outlets for years, Tweets sharing their content lacked visible context.”

Links to state-affiliated media from other countries will receive similar labels in the “coming weeks,” the company said.

Russian state media, including the government-funded RT, has been pushing the narrative that the country’s invasion of Ukraine is being done to liberate separatist-held areas in eastern Ukraine.

A MESSAGE FROM ERICSSON

RESTRICTING ACCESS

Facebook will restrict access to Russian state-controlled media across the European Union, Meta vice president of global affairs Nick Clegg said Monday.

“We have received requests from a number of Governments and the EU to take further steps in relation to Russian state controlled media. Given the exceptional nature of the current situation, we will be restricting access to RT and Sputnik across the EU at this time,” Clegg tweeted.

He said the company will continue to “work closely” with governments on this issue.

It is the latest in a series of updates Facebook and other social media platforms have taken after Russia invaded Ukraine last week, a move that’s been widely condemned by U.S. and global leaders.

Read more here.

TOYOTA HIT

Toyota Motor Corporation, the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer, said on Monday that it's suspending domestic factory operations starting Tuesday following a cyberattack that hit one of its suppliers, according to a Reuters report.

The suspension will cause a loss of around 13,000 cars of output. The disruption comes as Japan joins the West in imposing sanctions against Russia, including preventing Russian banks from using the SWIFT international payment system.

According to Reuters, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that his government is investigating the issue. "It is difficult to say whether this has anything to do with Russia before making thorough checks," he said.

Read more here.

Cyber officials urge agencies to armor up

U.S. cybersecurity officials are urging federal agencies and large organizations to remain vigilant against the threat of Russian cyberattacks amid the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) updated its "Shields Up" guidance for organizations after Russia's incursion into eastern Ukraine last week, urging officials to remain "laser-focused on resilience."

U.S. officials have also sought to bolster precautions among the federal workforce as agencies seek to shore up their cyber defenses.

A notice sent to employees with the U.S. Department of Agriculture late last week and viewed by The Hill went as far as to suggest that employees stock up on food, gas and other supplies as part of a "personal and professional preparedness" plan.

"Have some cash on hand in case ATMs or credit card readers are unavailable," stated the email from USDA security and technology heads.

Read more here.

BITS AND PIECES

An op-ed to chew on: Ukraine proves cable can still do news, but does it really want to?

Lighter click: Solidarity with posters everywhere

Notable links from around the web:

Here Comes the Full Amazonification of Whole Foods (The New York Times / Cecilia Kang)

What Are the Rules for Celebrities Promoting NFTs? (Wired / Kate Knibbs)

Ukraine’s meme war is a 'desperate' cry for help (Protocol / Sarah Roach)