The move comes amid growing concern about the spread of false information on social media.
By Joanna Slater Joanna Slater Foreign correspondent covering South Asia Email Bio Follow April 1 at 9:12 AM NEW DELHI — Facebook deleted hundreds of pages and accounts days before the start of India’s national elections, saying they were part of a coordinated effort to mislead its users.
About 900 million Indians are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, which will unfold in phases starting April 11 and concluding May 19. The Indian elections are a “top priority” for the company, said Samidh Chakrabarti, Facebook’s director of product management for civic integrity, on a visit last week to New Delhi. He said it had created a special team dedicated to the Indian polls, a “rare and unusual” move.Monday’s removal of pages and accounts was the largest ever by Facebook in India.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Facebook Removed Hundreds Of Indian And Pakistani Political Pages For Spreading Bad Information Before India's Elections“We don’t want our services to be used to manipulate people,' Facebook wrote in a blog post.
Read more »
Facebook tightens rules on political ads ahead of EU voteFacebook Inc toughened its rules on political advertising in Europe on Friday un...
Read more »
Pakistan dismisses Indian terror dossier as mostly 'social media content'Pakistan on Thursday dismissed a dossier handed over by India in the wake of a s...
Read more »
Indian PM Modi plans national broadcast on WednesdayIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will broadcast an address to the nation at 1...
Read more »
AP Photos: Saris stand out on Indian fashion runwayNEW DELHI (AP) — It's fashion season in India's capital, with the country's top designers showcasing their latest collections to lure the rapidly growing domestic and export markets for Indian...
Read more »
Bullish bets on Indian rupee rise, yuan longs recede: Reuters pollBullish positions in the Indian rupee firmed over the past two weeks, a Reuters ...
Read more »
Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo samples fail Indian quality test; company rejects findingsJohnson & Johnson's baby shampoo samples failed quality tests conducted by ...
Read more »
Airbnb Takes Stake in Indian Hotel-Booking Startup OyoHome-sharing company Airbnb said it had invested in Indian hotel-booking startup Oyo Hotels & Homes, expanding its reach across Asia.
Read more »
Airbnb’s Indian rooms alliance checks outThe $31 bln home-sharing app is investing in no-frills lodging chain Oyo. Both are flourishing in the world’s two largest emerging markets, clipping at the heels of established operators. Joining forces will add zest to Airbnb’s mooted IPO, and gives its smaller peer a U.S. lift.
Read more »
Fake News Is Rampant on WhatsApp as Indian Elections LoomIn India, viral fake news is lighting up Facebook’s WhatsApp messaging app as the world’s biggest democracy prepares for national elections in the coming weeks.
Read more »