Meta Platforms has revealed that its security team uncovered a wave of new coordinated influence operations targeting multiple countries across several continents. According to Meta, these operations employed fake accounts, inauthentic pages and concealed coordination to push political narratives and sow division abroad.
The company reported that the operations affected nations in Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia. In each case, the network disguised its affiliation and presented as local voices engaging in political dialogue or commentary. Meta’s transparency report states that the accounts and pages often focused on topics such as migration, government corruption and electoral politics.
Meta’s head of security, Guy Rosen, said the operation appeared to originate from multiple locations and leveraged both Facebook and its messaging service WhatsApp to publish content and coordinate among actors. He added that the company removed thousands of accounts, pages and groups linked to the networks before they could grow further.
The company is also working with external researchers and governments to trace the source of funding behind the networks. Meta said many of the accounts used VPNs and created complex webs of content amplification to evade detection.
In response to the latest findings, Meta announced plans to enhance its Cross-Platform Investigation Task Force which will audit coordination not just on Facebook, but also on Instagram and WhatsApp. The firm said it will expand its third-party fact-checking arrangements and further limit visibility for posts identified as part of covert influence campaigns.
Industry analysts say the scale and global reach of these operations highlight a growing challenge for social-media companies in maintaining integrity ahead of major elections around the world. Some governments welcomed Meta’s action but urged greater transparency about how the company identifies and removes such networks.
Still, the threat of hidden influence operations remains high, particularly as state-backed groups become more sophisticated in using digital platforms to shape public discourse. Users are advised to scrutinize content sources and verify information through multiple trusted outlets.
