Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: IOF's top lawyer hands in resignation over leak of Sde Teiman video
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli drone strike targets motorcycle in Kawnin, South Lebanon.
Hegseth in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart: Washington will continue to defend its interests vigorously
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: The United States is concerned about China's activities in the South China Sea
Occupied Palestine: Israeli occupation forces demolishe residential homes east of Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip
Al Mayadeen correspondent: An Israeli drone attacked the main road in the town of Harouf, South Lebanon.
Lebanese President: Israeli aggression on Blida took place in aftermath of meeting of ceasefire monitoring committee.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asks Commander of Lebanese Army to confront any Israeli incursion into liberated Lebanese territory in the South.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli aircraft launch series of strikes on area of Jarmaq, South Lebanon.
Reuters: Afghanistan and Pakistan agree to restart peace talks in Istanbul.

Facebook, Twitter contacted Pentagon concerned about PsyOps: WashPost

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Washington Post
  • 20 Sep 2022 16:20
  • 3 Shares
3 Min Read

Fake accounts that emerged on social media raised concerns in Big Tech.

  • x
  • WashPost: Facebook, Twitter contacted Pentagon concerned about Psy-Ops
    The real war is in the mind. 

According to a report by the Washington Post, in 2020, Facebook and Twitter employees contacted the Pentagon to voice concerns regarding fake accounts they believed had ties with the US military.

One Facebook executive, at one point, spoke to the Pentagon's head of influence operations policy, Christopher C miller, who was warned that foreign enemies could discover the origin of the accounts if Facebook could too.

Detecting accounts that Facebook and Twitter suspected to be part of the US military conducting psyops, the two social media giants took down about 150 fake profiles and media sites. Psy-ops are a war tactic used frequently by the US, which, in its turn, has been accusing Russia of doing since 2020. 

Read more: Anti-Russian propaganda bombards internet users

The Post reported that last week, the undersecretary of defense for policy, Colin Kahl, ordered a full report from the US military regarding its online influence operations to be sent to the White House for review by October. In addition to that, the Biden administration has repeatedly requested that the Pentagon provide more information regarding its psyop policies - or, 'online influence campaigns.'

Related News

Papua New Guinea mulls social media age checks; stirs censorship fears

Facebook far-right groups pushing radicalization in UK: The Guardian

In 2019, the US Congress gave the green light when it passed Section 1631, which allowed the military to conduct psyops as long as it does not infringe on the CIA's covert authority, knowing that the law exempts such activities from the oversight system. 

In August 2022, a report from Graphika and the Standford Internet Observatory was published revealing that suspicious pro-US accounts on Twitter and Meta “created fake personas with GAN-generated faces, posed as independent media outlets, leveraged memes and short-form videos, attempted to start hashtag campaigns, and launched online petitions.”

The campaigns were largely aimed at countries such as Iran or in Central Asia, where there is resistance to US foreign policy. 

Many of the topics discussed include "U.S. diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in the region, Russia’s alleged malign influence, Russian military interventions in the Middle East and Africa, and Chinese ‘imperialism’ and treatment of Muslim minorities,” according to the researchers.

Sometimes, the accounts would post content from some media outlets backed by the US State Department, such as Radio Free Europe. 

Read next: You're doing yourself a "disservice" following only Western media

  • Facebook
  • Pentagon
  • Twitter
  • Meta

Most Read

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Hi-tech holocaust: Microsoft’s role in Gaza genocide

Microsoft's role in world’s first AI-driven genocide, in Gaza, exposed

  • Technology
  • 28 Oct 2025
What Marr evidently didn't seem to understand was that Hedges isn't saying that Western journalists manipulate the truth, but that they systematically amplify Israeli narratives they know are false. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Western journalists know they have a case to answer for their betrayal of Gaza, and it frightens them

  • Opinion
  • 24 Oct 2025
Sheikh Naim Qassem speaks during an interview with Al-Manar TV, October 26, 2025 (Screenshot)

Hezbollah ready to face 'Israel' in case of war: Sheikh Naim Qassem

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
ap
Politics

Hamas calls on int’l community to act against Israeli settlement plan

In this Nov. 9, 2017, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump, right, chats with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (AP)
Economy

Ex-US diplomat says Trump-Xi deal 'tactical retreat', not lasting deal

An unarmed Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, during a test in 2002. (US Air Force)
Politics

JD Vance defends Trump's nuclear test plan as 'crucial for security'

Ultra-Orthodox Jews attend the "million man" protest against military conscription, in occupied al-Quds, October 30, 2025 (AFP)
Politics

Haredi mass rally in al-Quds exposes Zionist regime's growing crisis

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS