iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Facebook removed a network that Meta linked to Roger Stone and his associates because it used fake accounts and personas to make political pages and posts appear more popular. The July 8, 2020 action covered 54 Facebook accounts, 50 Pages and four Instagram accounts. Meta classified the activity as coordinated inauthentic behavior, not as an enforcement action against a political viewpoint.
What Facebook removed
On July 8, 2020, Meta announced that it had taken down a U.S.-based network connected to Roger Stone and associates:
| Asset | Number removed |
|---|---|
| Facebook accounts | 54 |
| Facebook Pages | 50 |
| Instagram accounts | 4 |
Meta said the network’s Pages had about 260,000 followers, while the removed Instagram accounts had about 62,000 followers. The accounts had spent less than $308,000 on advertising, according to Meta’s announcement. That figure describes the network’s reported ad spending, not a recurring budget or a measure of genuine audience support.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How the fake-account operation worked
According to Meta and an analysis by Graphika, almost all of the Facebook accounts were fake. They were used to create or manage Pages, then post and comment on content from the same network. The activity was designed to make those Pages and posts look more popular than they actually were.
#1 Best Overall
Fake Florida identities
The operators presented the accounts as residents of Florida. Meta described the method this way: “The people behind this activity used fake accounts … to pose as residents of Florida, post and comment on their own content to make it appear more popular than it is.”
Artificial amplification rather than broad engagement
Graphika reported that most of the Pages had fewer than 5,000 followers and that most posts received no engagement from people outside the network. The bulk of the activity occurred in 2016 and 2017, around the U.S. presidential election. Those findings indicate an attempt to manufacture signals of popularity, even though authentic user interaction was generally limited.
Why Meta called it coordinated inauthentic behavior
“Coordinated inauthentic behavior” is Meta’s policy term for coordinated activity that uses deceptive identities or other misleading methods to influence how information appears or spreads. In this case, the alleged coordination involved multiple fake accounts working together to run Pages and interact with their own posts.
Recommended Free Tools
Facebook security-policy chief Nathaniel Gleicher said the enforcement targeted the behavior and the deceptive coordination, rather than a political viewpoint. The removal therefore does not establish that every political claim on the Pages was false, nor does it amount to a criminal conviction.
What Roger Stone said
Stone denied Meta’s allegations. He called Facebook and Instagram’s explanation “entirely fabricated” and described the action as part of a broader effort to censor President Donald Trump’s supporters, Republicans and conservatives on social-media platforms.
That denial conflicts with Meta’s attribution of the network to Stone and associates. The available public descriptions establish Meta’s policy action and the network’s reported methods; they do not, by themselves, resolve every question about individual participants or intent.
Rank #4
What the numbers do—and do not—show
- 54 Facebook accounts, 50 Pages and four Instagram accounts: the assets Meta said it removed on July 8, 2020.
- About 260,000 Facebook Page followers and 62,000 Instagram followers: the audience totals Meta reported for the removed Pages and accounts, not verified unique or active people.
- Less than $308,000 in advertising: Meta’s reported total ad spend for the network.
- 2016–2017 peak: Graphika’s finding about when most of the activity occurred, rather than a claim that every account stopped operating afterward.
- Low outside engagement: Graphika found that most Pages had under 5,000 followers and most posts drew no engagement from other users.
Bottom line
Facebook removed Roger Stone-linked Pages and accounts because Meta said they used coordinated fake identities—many posing as Florida residents—to create and amplify their own content. The enforcement covered 54 Facebook accounts, 50 Pages and four Instagram accounts. Stone rejected the allegations, while Meta framed the case as enforcement of its anti-deception policy rather than censorship of a political viewpoint.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
