Meta Removes 10 Million Fake Accounts on Facebook in Campaign Against Annoying Content
Meta Platforms announced on Monday, July 14, the removal of approximately 10 million accounts on the Facebook platform during the first half of 2025 for impersonating top content creators, as part of its efforts to combat "annoying content".
This action is part of a broader strategy aimed at enhancing the authenticity and relevance of content displayed in users' feeds by cracking down on accounts that post disturbing content, including posts generated by artificial intelligence tools.
The company explained in a blog post that it is implementing stricter measures to promote original content, focusing on supporting genuine creators. It also took action against about 500,000 accounts engaged in fake behaviors and unwanted messages, reducing the visibility of their comments and limiting the distribution of their posts, hindering their ability to generate income.
Meta defined non-original content as reusing images or videos without attribution. It confirmed that it has developed advanced technologies to detect duplicate videos and reduce their spread.
This move coincided with Meta's increased investments in artificial intelligence, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed plans to spend "hundreds of billions of dollars" on smart computing infrastructure, in preparation for launching the company's first massive dataset next year.
At a time when artificial intelligence facilitates the production of large quantities of content across social platforms, several companies, such as Google-owned YouTube, have tightened their policies. YouTube recently announced an update that prevents high-volume or repetitive content from monetizing, starting from Tuesday, July 15.
The decision has caused concern among users, fearing it restricts the use of artificial intelligence entirely. However, YouTube clarified in a statement on its blog that the change targets only disturbing and non-original videos, stating: "We welcome creators who use artificial intelligence to enhance their stories, and channels using it responsibly will remain eligible for monetization."
Social media platforms are increasingly taking measures to combat "undesirable artificial intelligence content," which leads to a decline in the quality of content presented to users.
