#OperationFFS: Fake Face Swarm
Facebook takes down network tied to Epoch Media Group that used mass AI-generated profiles.
On December 20, 2019, Facebook took action against a network of over 900 pages, groups, and accounts on its own platform and on Instagram that were associated with “The Beauty of Life” (TheBL), reportedly an offshoot of the Epoch Media Group (EMG). These assets were removed for engaging in large-scale coordinated inauthentic behavior (CIB). The takedown also encompassed a set of Vietnamese assets that were linked to TheBL and to EMG.
Ben Nimmo
Head of Investigations
Ben Nimmo was Head of Investigations at Graphika, where he led an expert team of OSINT investigators in detecting, identifying and analyzing inauthentic behavior and information operations online. He specializes in analyzing patterns of online disinformation and influence operations across varying platforms and geographical regions. He is now the Principal Investigator, Intelligence & Investigations at OpenAI.
C. Shawn Eib
Analyst
L. Tamora
Analyst
Kate Johnson
Analyst
Ian Smith
Analyst
Eto Buziashvili
Analyst
Alyssa Kann
Analyst
Kanishk Karan
Analyst
Esteban Ponce de León Rosas
Analyst
Max Rizzuto
Analyst
Download the complete PDF
The full report includes the complete network graph maps, raw attribution indicators, cross-platform topology analysis, and the full takedown timeline with platform-level data.
- Full network graph visualizations
- Attribution indicators with confidence scores
- Raw behavioral modeling data
- Takedown coordination timeline
Related Reports
How to Lose Influence and Alienate People
Examining the Activities of Russian State-Controlled Media on Facebook and Instagram One Year After the Invasion of Ukraine
Read the Report
Unheard Voice
Evaluating Five Years of Pro-Western Covert Influence Operations
Read the Report
Bad Reputation
Suspected Russian Actors Leverage Alternative Tech Platforms in Continued Effort to Covertly Influence Right-Wing U.S. Audiences
Read the ReportSee How Graphika Can Help Your Team Act on This Intelligence
This report is one of 600+ investigations Graphika’s team has published. Our platform gives your analysts continuous access to the same intelligence — plus the tools to apply it to your specific threat environment.