Facebook removes 30 fake accounts designed to keep Arab Israelis from voting

Facebook removed 30 fake accounts that were designed to keep Arab Israelis from voting in next week’s national elections.

The Arabic-language accounts were uncovered by the nonprofit organisation Democratic Bloc and were confirmed removed on Tuesday, Haaretz reported. The pages encouraged the Arab community to boycott the March 2 election or encouraged social polarisation.

Nearly half the fake accounts posted responses on the Facebook page of Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint List Party, which is comprised mostly of Arabs.

Prior to Israel’s national election in September, Facebook removed 82 fake accounts following a study by the Democratic Bloc.