Facebook Bans QAnon Accounts Across All Platforms to Curb Misinformation

SAN FRANCISCO, KOMPAS.com – Facebook and Instagram set to ban all accounts linked to the QAnon conspiracy group ahead of the divisive US presidential election.

The social media company announced the ban as it tries to clamp down on misinformation as the November election draws near.

The move against QAnon at Facebook and its image-sharing platform Instagram comes as the Big Tech company works to avoid being taken advantage of in deceiving or confusing voters.

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This had happened during the 2016 US presidential election that catapulted President Donald Trump into the White House seat.

 "We will remove any Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon, even if they contain no violent content," the internet titan said in a blog post.

From an anonymous 2017 posting claiming bizarre child exploitation and political plots, the headless and bodiless movement has earned a place in Trump's Twitter stream.

The FBI last year said in a report that QAnon was one of several movements that could drive "both groups and individual extremists to carry out criminal or violent acts".

The ban on the conspiracy group's accounts steps up Facebook's efforts to clamp down on misinformation campaigns sometimes endorsed by President Trump, weeks ahead of the US presidential election on November 3.

Read also: QAnon Supporter Marjorie Greene Wins GOP Seat in Georgia

"Facebook's decision to ban QAnon from all its platforms is a much needed, if belated, step to purge dangerous conspiracy theories from the platform," said Anti-Defamation League Chief Executive Jonathan Greenblatt.

"We hope that this is a sincere effort to purge hate and antisemitism from their platform, and not another knee-jerk response to pressure from members of Congress and the public."

The moves made across Facebook and Instagram were against accounts tied to "offline anarchist groups that support violent acts amidst protests, US-based militia organizations and QAnon," according to the blog post.

The leading social network recently prohibited ads that praise, support or represent militarized social movements and QAnon.

Read also: Facebook Failed to Remove Militia Page Linked to Kenosha Unrest