Tech: Facebook says fake accounts linked to Russia bought ads during US election (FB)

Facebook on Wednesday said that it found evidence of ad spending related to fake accounts "likely operated out of Russia" during the US presidential election.

Facebook on Wednesday said that it found evidence of ad spending related to fake accounts "likely operated out of Russia" during the US presidential election.

Facebook's chief security officer, Alex Stamos, said the company conducted an examination of ads purchased over the past two years in response to mounting concern over "Russian interference in the electoral process" and Facebook's role in spreading fake news leading up to the election.

The social network discovered roughly $100,000 in ad buys between June 2015 and May 2017 "associated with roughly 3,000 ads" and connected to nearly 500 affiliated fake accounts.

"Our analysis suggests these accounts and Pages were affiliated with one another and likely operated out of Russia," Stamos wrote in a post published on Facebook's company blog.

The "vast majority" of ads related to the fake Russian accounts didn't target a political candidate and instead focused on "amplifying divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum," according to Stamos.

The revelation marks the first official confirmation that Russia likely used Facebook in its efforts to sway US election results. Facebook said in July that it had found "no evidence that Russian actors bought ads on Facebook in connection with the election."

Stamos said that Facebook has shared its new findings with US authorities investigating Russia's interference in the election.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

Facebook on Wednesday said that it found evidence of ad spending related to fake accounts "likely operated out of Russia" during the US presidential election. Read Full Story