Facebook: Fake scientist used to spread anti-US propaganda

By DAVID KLEPPER and AMANDA SEITZ
Associated Press

Facebook says it removed hundreds of fake accounts linked to an effort to spread unfounded claims that the U.S. was pressuring scientists to blame the coronavirus on China. The platform says the disinformation operation began in July when someone claiming to be a Swiss biologist posted the claim, which was quickly reposted by hundreds of accounts later determined to be fake. The story circulated widely in Chinese state media before Swiss officials announced they had no record of the scientist who first made the claim. Facebook said it found evidence linking the network to employees at Chinese state-run technology and infrastructure companies.