Within Campaigns
Can Platforms Stop Manipulation, Not Debate?
Behaviour-based rules can reduce fake accounts, hidden ads and artificial amplification while leaving room for lawful disagreement.
On this page
- Why behaviour is different from viewpoint
- Fake networks, hidden ads and artificial engagement
- The risks of over removal during uncertain events
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
A common misconception is that platforms face a simple choice: either allow everything in the name of free debate or remove controversial opinions to stop misinformation. In practice, many of the most effective interventions focus on behaviour rather than viewpoint. The aim is not to decide which political opinions are acceptable. It is to identify deceptive tactics such as fake accounts, hidden sponsorship, coordinated impersonation, bot-driven amplification and other methods that create a false impression of public support. [Transparency Center]transparency.meta.comTransparency Center Inauthentic BehaviorTransparency CenterInauthentic Behavior - Transparency CenterMeta regularly publishes reports to give our community visibility into commu…
This distinction matters because organised disinformation campaigns often rely less on persuading people through arguments and more on manipulating the signals people use to judge credibility. When platforms target those manipulative behaviours, they can reduce deception while leaving room for lawful disagreement, criticism and political debate. [ScienceDirect]sciencedirect.comScienceDirectFrom fake account trafficking to coordinated inauthentic…by M Mazza · 2022 · Cited by 50 — Fake accounts are the primary…
Why Behaviour Is Different From Viewpoint
A viewpoint is an opinion, belief or argument. Behaviour concerns how that message is promoted and whether users are being deceived about its source, popularity or authenticity.
For example, two users might post the same political claim. One is a real person expressing a genuine opinion. The other is part of a network of hundreds of coordinated accounts pretending to be independent citizens while secretly working together. The content may be identical, but the behaviour is different.
Many platform policies therefore focus on what Meta calls “inauthentic behaviour” rather than on the political position being expressed. The concern is not whether a user supports a policy, candidate or movement. The concern is whether they are impersonating others, concealing coordination, operating fake accounts or artificially manipulating engagement metrics. [Transparency Center]transparency.meta.comTransparency Center Inauthentic BehaviorTransparency CenterInauthentic Behavior - Transparency CenterMeta regularly publishes reports to give our community visibility into commu…
This approach has several advantages:
- It avoids requiring platforms to act as arbiters of political truth.
- It targets techniques used across ideological lines.
- It focuses on deception that can often be investigated through observable evidence.
- It preserves space for unpopular, controversial or minority opinions that are genuinely held. [Transparency Center]transparency.meta.comTransparency Center Inauthentic BehaviorTransparency CenterInauthentic Behavior - Transparency CenterMeta regularly publishes reports to give our community visibility into commu…
The distinction is not always perfect. Real-world cases often mix genuine supporters, automated accounts, paid promoters and coordinated organisers. Even so, behaviour-based enforcement generally attracts broader support than attempts to remove speech solely because it is politically contentious.
Fake Networks, Hidden Ads And Artificial Engagement
The clearest examples of behaviour-focused intervention involve systems designed to create a misleading impression of popularity or authenticity.
Fake Accounts And Coordinated Networks
Researchers and platforms have repeatedly identified networks of accounts that pose as ordinary users while being centrally controlled. Such operations may amplify hashtags, flood comment sections, repost identical messages or impersonate local communities. Meta’s public reporting on coordinated inauthentic behaviour reflects a long-running effort to remove these networks regardless of the specific political positions they promote. [About Facebook]about.fb.comIO Threat Report May 20 2021About FacebookThreat Report The State of Influence Operations 2017-20201 May 2021 — These efforts have pressed threat actors to shift the…
The reason these operations matter is that people often use social proof as a shortcut for credibility. If thousands of apparently independent users repeat the same message, it can appear more trustworthy than it really is. Coordinated networks exploit that tendency. Research on fake-account ecosystems has identified fake identities as a primary tool enabling coordinated inauthentic behaviour across platforms. [ScienceDirect]sciencedirect.comScienceDirectFrom fake account trafficking to coordinated inauthentic…by M Mazza · 2022 · Cited by 50 — Fake accounts are the primary…
Hidden Political Advertising
Another area where platforms can target manipulation without judging opinions is advertising transparency.
Political advertising has become increasingly sophisticated, allowing campaigns to reach highly specific audiences. Regulators and researchers have therefore pushed for transparency measures that reveal who paid for an advert, who was targeted and why. Political ad libraries and disclosure requirements are intended to make influence efforts visible rather than secret. [Internet Policy Review]policyreview.infoInternet Policy Review Can online political targeting be rendered transparent?by S Mehta · 2022 · Cited by 22 — In this paper, we consider whether the Facebook Ad Library actually improves the capability of regulato…
The logic is straightforward: citizens may disagree strongly about policies, but they should know when they are viewing paid political persuasion. Transparency allows scrutiny without banning the underlying message.
Recent European rules have strengthened obligations around political advertising transparency and restrictions on certain forms of targeting, particularly where sensitive personal data could be used to influence voters. [ScienceDirect]sciencedirect.comScienceDirectFrom fake account trafficking to coordinated inauthentic…by M Mazza · 2022 · Cited by 50 — Fake accounts are the primary…
Artificial Engagement
Platforms also target manipulation by detecting behaviour that inflates popularity metrics.
Examples include:
- Purchased followers or likes.
- Bot-driven reposting campaigns.
- Coordinated engagement groups.
- Networks designed to push content into recommendation systems.
These activities attempt to manufacture visibility rather than earn it through genuine user interest. Removing fake engagement does not prevent anyone from expressing an opinion; it removes a deceptive signal about how many people support or interact with that opinion. [Cogitatio Press]cogitatiopress.comHyperactive socialCogitatio PressThe Use of Facebook Accounts With Inauthentic Behavior…by B Oprea · 2025 — Technology has reshaped political communicat…
Transparency As An Alternative To Censorship
One of the most important governance ideas in this area is that platforms do not always need to remove content to reduce manipulation.
Transparency tools can often achieve part of the same goal while preserving access to information. Examples include:
- Labelling state-affiliated media.
- Publishing political ad archives.
- Requiring disclosure of AI-generated political advertising.
- Providing information about account authenticity.
- Sharing data with independent researchers. [Internet Policy Review]policyreview.infoInternet Policy Review Can online political targeting be rendered transparent?by S Mehta · 2022 · Cited by 22 — In this paper, we consider whether the Facebook Ad Library actually improves the capability of regulato… [WIRED These measures shift attention from]wired.comWorried About Political Deepfakes?Beware the Spread of 'Cheapfakes'As the 2024 elections approach, concerns over the use of generative AI in political content are rising…“Is this opinion allowed?” to “What should users know before evaluating this message?”
The European Union’s Digital Services Act reflects this broader trend. Rather than requiring platforms to remove lawful political viewpoints, it emphasises systemic risk assessment, transparency obligations and measures aimed at reducing manipulation and coordinated inauthentic behaviour. [Digital Strategy]digital-strategy.ec.europa.euThese services include marketplaces… [Institute for Strategic Dialogue]isdglobal.orgeu digital services actInstitute for Strategic DialogueEU Digital Services ActAug 13, 2024 — The DSA requires VLOPs and VLOSEs to assess several types of system…
The Risks Of Over-Removal During Uncertain Events
Behaviour-based enforcement is often presented as a cleaner alternative to content moderation, but it is not free from mistakes.
During elections, public-health emergencies, conflicts or fast-moving crises, platforms may struggle to distinguish between genuine grassroots activity and coordinated manipulation. Real people can suddenly begin sharing similar messages at the same time. Activist movements often use coordinated communication strategies that resemble some indicators of influence operations.
This creates a risk of over-removal. If enforcement systems rely too heavily on patterns such as rapid sharing, account similarity or common messaging, they may incorrectly target legitimate political organising. Critics have argued that vague definitions and inconsistent enforcement can fuel accusations of bias even when platforms are attempting to act against manipulation rather than viewpoints. [WIRED]wired.comWorried About Political Deepfakes?Beware the Spread of 'Cheapfakes'As the 2024 elections approach, concerns over the use of generative AI in political content are rising…
Another challenge is that sophisticated actors adapt. Meta’s threat reporting has noted that influence operations frequently change tactics in response to platform enforcement, shifting methods when old approaches become easier to detect. [About Facebook]about.fb.comIO Threat Report May 20 2021About FacebookThreat Report The State of Influence Operations 2017-20201 May 2021 — These efforts have pressed threat actors to shift the…
For this reason, transparency and appeals processes are often considered as important as the initial enforcement decision. Users, researchers and journalists need ways to understand why actions were taken and to challenge mistakes when they occur.
What Effective Platform Rules Look Like
The strongest governance approaches generally share a common principle: focus on deception in the distribution process rather than disagreement in the content itself.
In practice, that means prioritising actions against:
- Fake or stolen identities.
- Coordinated inauthentic behaviour. [table.media]table.mediacoordinated inauthentic behaviour, both on and offFirst report of the European Board for Digital Services in…Nov 18, 2025 — The Digital Services Act (“DSA”) regulates online intermedia…
- Undisclosed sponsorship and political advertising.
- Bot-driven amplification.
- Engagement manipulation.
- Concealed influence operations. Transparency Center+2Disinfo Code [transparency.meta.com]transparency.meta.comTransparency Center Inauthentic BehaviorTransparency CenterInauthentic Behavior - Transparency CenterMeta regularly publishes reports to give our community visibility into commu…
At the same time, platforms can preserve room for open debate by applying those rules regardless of ideology, publishing transparency reports, providing researcher access where appropriate and allowing users to challenge enforcement decisions. Recent regulatory frameworks increasingly emphasise these governance mechanisms, seeking to reduce manipulation while protecting lawful expression and democratic participation. [Digital Strategy]digital-strategy.ec.europa.euThese services include marketplaces… [Institute for Strategic Dialogue]isdglobal.orgeu digital services actInstitute for Strategic DialogueEU Digital Services ActAug 13, 2024 — The DSA requires VLOPs and VLOSEs to assess several types of system…
The central lesson is that platforms do not necessarily have to choose between manipulation and free debate. They can often target the deceptive tactics that distort public discussion while leaving the underlying arguments—popular or unpopular—to be contested openly. [Transparency Center]transparency.meta.comTransparency Center Inauthentic BehaviorTransparency CenterInauthentic Behavior - Transparency CenterMeta regularly publishes reports to give our community visibility into commu… [2eucrim.eu]eucrim.euncluding coordinated inauthentic behaviour and disinformation risks linked to…Read more…
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Can Platforms Stop Manipulation, Not Debate?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The Chaos Machine
Examines platform incentives, manipulation, and moderation challenges.
Twitter and tear gas
First published 2017. Subjects: Social media, Protest movements, Political aspects, Online social networks, Social movements.
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Endnotes
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Source: transparency.meta.com
Title: Transparency Center Inauthentic Behavior
Link: https://transparency.meta.com/policies/community-standards/inauthentic-behavior/Source snippet
Transparency CenterInauthentic Behavior - Transparency CenterMeta regularly publishes reports to give our community visibility into commu...
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Title: Worried About Political Deepfakes?
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Beware the Spread of 'Cheapfakes'As the 2024 elections approach, concerns over the use of generative AI in political content are rising...
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Link: https://eucrim.eu/news/overview-of-the-latest-developments-under-the-digital-services-act-november-2025-february-2026/Source snippet
ncluding coordinated inauthentic behaviour and disinformation risks linked to...Read more...
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Title: What Even Is ‘Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior’ on Platforms?
Link: https://www.wired.com/story/what-even-is-coordinated-inauthentic-behavior-on-platformsSource snippet
These actions raise questions about the difference between legitimate campaign activities and prohibited coordinated inauthentic behavior...
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Standards - Meta Transparency CenterThe Community Standards outline what is and isn't allowed on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads...
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How Social Media Platforms Handle Misinformation...
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Title: IO Threat Report May 20 2021
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About FacebookThreat Report The State of Influence Operations 2017-20201 May 2021 — These efforts have pressed threat actors to shift the...
Published: May 2021
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Title: eu digital services act
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Institute for Strategic DialogueEU Digital Services ActAug 13, 2024 — The DSA requires VLOPs and VLOSEs to assess several types of system...
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Source: policyreview.info
Title: Internet Policy Review Can online political targeting be rendered transparent?
Link: https://policyreview.info/articles/analysis/can-online-political-targeting-be-rendered-transparent-prospects-campaignSource snippet
by S Mehta · 2022 · Cited by 22 — In this paper, we consider whether the Facebook Ad Library actually improves the capability of regulato...
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These services include marketplaces...
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Report March 2026 - Transparency CentreIn order to limit impermissible manipulative behaviours and practices across their services, Relev...
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Title: coordinated inauthentic behaviour, both on and off
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First report of the European Board for Digital Services in...Nov 18, 2025 — The Digital Services Act (“DSA”) regulates online intermedia...
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Title: Digital Services Act
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Digital Services ActThe Digital Services Act (DSA) is an EU regulation that entered into force in 2022, establishing a comprehensive l...
Additional References
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Putting the Digital Services Act (DSA) to the testIn particular, pursuant to the DSA, online platforms are required to provide mechanisms...
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Response to the Science, Innovation and Technology...28 Jan 2025 — This response focuses on how social media, misinformation and harmful...
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Social Media Misinformation and the Prevention of Political...7 Jul 2022 — This policy paper examines how social media misinformation (S...
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The full name is "Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October...Read more...
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Digital Services Act (DSA) | Updates, Compliance, TrainingUncover the critical components of the Digital Services Act (DSA)...
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Title: platforms online surveillance european union digital services act dsa
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Platforms, Online Surveillance, and the European Unionby RÓ Fathaigh · 2026 — Focusing on the DSA allows us to investigate how European U...
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European Commission sets up code of conduct against...Feb 13, 2025 — The code will focus on demonisation of outlets spreading [fake news]({{ 'fake-news/' | relative_url }})...
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Source: cjil.uchicago.edu
Title: digital services act and eu global regulator internet
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Digital Services Act and the EU as the Global Regulator of...This essay discusses the Digital Services Act (DSA), the new regulation ena...
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the EU combats harmful content online - ConsiliumThe EU's digital services act (DSA) helps combat propaganda, misinformation and fake new...
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Title: Other platforms focus on specific behaviors
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Taylor & Francis OnlinePlatform governance under the Digital Services Actby R Gsenger · 2025 · Cited by 4 — However, Meta seems to be the...
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