Google joins tech giants banning Iran-linked accounts

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Alphabet Inc’s Google announced on Thursday it had suspended YouTube channels with ties to Iran’s major state-run media outlet from its platforms, accusing them of propagating misinformation ahead of the US’ midterms

Google deleted 58 accounts from its various platforms that were “engaged in an influence campaign” to manipulate public opinion and spread false information.

As have Facebook and Twitter, Google worked with FireEye, a public leading cybersecurity firm. The security company had identified multiple suspicious YouTube channels, emails, and Google+ accounts which were “swiftly disabled.”

The multinational tech company “identified and terminated a number of accounts linked to the IRIB [Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, a state-run media outlet],” that were sharing “English-language political content in the US.”

In total, 58 pages were blocked: 39 YouTube channels, six blogs on Blogger, and 13 Google+ accounts.

“Our investigations on these topics are ongoing, and we will continue to share our findings with law enforcement and other relevant government entities in the US and elsewhere,” the statement by Google read.

On Wednesday, both Twitter and Facebook announced similar steps taken to end activities on accounts engaging in “coordinated manipulation” that originated from the Islamic Republic.

“Our foreign adversaries are taking a page right out of Russia’s playbook,” warned US Senator for the state of Virginia, Mark Warner.

Editing by Nadia Riva