Following the uncovering a coordinated campaign to influence November’s U.S. congressional elections, Facebook is adding authentication requirements for pages.
A total of 32 accounts were removed across Facebook and Instagram, including Facebook profiles and Pages and Instagram accounts. Now, Facebook is adding requirements for pages with a large audience. Facebook did not say what it considers a “large audience,” but did detail the changes and said that similar updates will be coming to Instagram.
Accounts that manage Pages will have to use two-factor authentication and confirm their primary country location. Page managers that require the additional authentication will receive a notice at the top of their News Feeds. The accounts won’t be able to post until they complete the authentication process. Facebook said it will be begin later this month.
Aside from the additional authentication requirements, Facebook Pages will begin displaying additional information, including whether a Page has merged with another Page and showing who manages the Page and primary country locations.
“Our goal is to prevent organizations and individuals from creating accounts that mislead people about who they are or what they’re doing. These updates are part of our continued efforts to increase authenticity and transparency of Pages on our platform,” a release from Facebook business reads.
This is Facebook’s latest effort to crackdown after evidence of meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election was found before this year’s congressional elections.