01:01 PM EDT, 05/29/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Meta Platforms ( META ) recently removed more than 500 Facebook accounts and nearly three dozen Instagram accounts originating in Israel and targeting audiences in the US and Canada with disinformation campaigns, the social media company disclosed Wednesday in its quarterly threat report, although the largest number of accounts associated with covert influence campaigns removed during Q1 came from unknown locations and targeted audiences in Moldova and Madagascar, it said.

The company also removed over 200 suspicious accounts originating from Croatia, Iran, China and Bangladesh during the quarter. The accounts from Israel not only targeted Facebook and Instagram with fake or compromised accounts but also hit other social media including X and Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) YouTube to influence opinion about the conflict in Gaza, it said.

Meta said Doggelganger cross-internet influence campaign from Russia also remains an advanced persistent serious threat after two years, but still crude and largely ineffective building authentic audiences on social media to weaken Western support for Ukraine in its fight with Russian forces.

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