On March 7, Facebook removed 23 pages, 74 Facebook accounts, five groups, and 35 Instagram accounts that the company assessed to be “engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior as part of a domestic-focused network in the UK.” These pages had approximately 175,000 followers, and approximately 4,500 accounts followed at least one of the removed Instagram accounts.

Although multiple assets were previously disabled, Facebook shared 15 of the active pages and two of the active public groups with @DFRLab prior to the takedown.

Overall, the network seemed designed to amplify pro-Islam and anti-extremist messaging, including by engaging with anti-Islam commentators. The pages and groups were administered by a cluster of accounts that claimed to be based in the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Egypt and appeared to have a broader interest in Pakistan.

Facebook determined that individuals behind the accounts violated the platform’s ban on “coordinated inauthentic behavior” by running a network relying on “fake accounts to misrepresent themselves.” @DFRLab’s analysis of the accounts highlights open source evidence that a small group of users were running multiple pages to manage the network, in violation of Facebook’s policies.

Facebook also removed four pages, 26 Facebook accounts, and one group demonstrating highly biased content in favor of the ruling Social Democratic Party in Romania (PSD), on which @DFRLab also reported.

Anti-Islamophobic and Anti-Extremist Narrative Shared Among Pages and Groups

Over half the pages examined by @DFRLab defended the role and status of migrants and Muslims in Britain and criticized far-right, anti-migrant, or anti-Islam acts and comments, sometimes urging their readers to take action in response. These pages had names such as “Anti Far Right Extremists,” “British and Tan” and “Tommy Robinson Watch,” named after a far-right figure whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. These pages were among the most popular in the takedown, with approximately 14,000 followers, 43,000 followers, and 11,000 followers, respectively.