Google claims the YouTube channels were actually part of a covert Iranian-backed operation to spread propaganda to US viewers. Two days ago, Facebook and Twitter also shut down hundreds of fake accounts and pages allegedly tied to the same Iranian group.
Google has taken down 39 YouTube channels, claiming that they were actually controlled by Iran to spread propaganda to US viewers.
According to Google, the YouTube channels pretended to have no connection to Iran, but were actually controlled by a state media broadcaster in Tehran to share English-language political content. However, the channels failed to attract much attention. In total, they only gained 13,466 views in the US.
Nevertheless, the tech giant decided to shut down the channels. The company also axed six related blogs on Blogger and 13 Google Plus accounts that the Iranian group allegedly controlled.
Google announced the crackdown two days after both Facebook and Twitter terminated hundreds of fake accounts and pages linked to the same Iranian state broadcaster. To disguise itself, the propaganda campaign pretended to be several independent media websites, one of which was called the Liberty Front Press.
On Facebook and Instagram, Liberty Front Press managed to attract close to a million followers through a large network of affiliated accounts and pages. However, the cybersecurity firm FireEye has been investigating the media group and has uncovered evidence that it actually originates out from Iran.
On Wednesday, Google corroborated those findings. It specifically linked the influence campaign’s activities to actors associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting group. „We can’t go into all the technical details without giving away information that would be helpful to others seeking to abuse our platforms,“ the company said in a blog post. However, Google claims the influence campaign began since at least January 2017.
According to FireEye, the covert campaign has been focused on spreading pro-Iranian political messages to audiences in the US, UK, the Middle East and Latin America. This has included voicing support for the US-Iran nuclear deal and circulating jokes and criticism of US President Donald Trump.
On the same day, Google said it also removed another 42 YouTube channels over suspicions they were controlled by the Russian-backed Internet Research Agency, which has been accused of meddling in the 2016 presidential election. However, the 42 channels only managed to gain less than 1,800 views in the US.
