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Facebook disables 1.3-billion fake accounts in Oct-Dec last year (Times Live/ English)

Facebook took down 1.3-billion fake accounts between October and December 2020 in addition to more than 12 million pieces of content about Covid-19 and vaccines that global health experts flagged as misinformation. Read More

Misbar: Scientific Sector is Another Target for Fake News (Arab 48/ Arabic)

The fact-checking platform "Misbar" indicated that fake news was never limited to political news, social events or public figures in various sectors, but extended to include science in its various sectors, whether space, health, technology, and others. Read More

Facebook guidelines allow users to call for death of public figures (The Guardian / English)

Facebook’s internal guidelines let users ‘call for the death of public figures according to the Guardian’s report. This aims to “allow discussion, which often includes critical commentary of people who are featured in the news”. Read More

Facebook building a version of Instagram for children under 13 (The Guardian / English)

Instagram says it’s exploring introducing a parent-controlled experience that allows kids to ‘safely’ use the photo sharing platform. Read More

Facebook Ups its Enforcement Around Rule Violations in Groups (Social Media Today / English)

Facebook has announced new harsher rules for group interactions, which will see the reach of some groups restricted, and some groups banned outright, due to repeated rule violations on the platform. Read More

The CEOs of Google, Facebook, and Twitter will appear before Congress in a misinformation hearing on Thursday. Here's why the execs are testifying. (Business Insider / English)

Google, Twitter and Facebook CEOs will face questioning from two American Senate subcommittees and the Energy and Commerce Committee — all chaired by Democratic lawmakers — over the companies' role in the proliferation of misinformation online. Read More

Instagram, Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger Down For Users Around The World (The Independent / English)

Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger have gone down for users across the world

on Friday. Facebook, indicated that the platform is “healthy” and that there were no known issues. Read More