City
Epaper

Google disables China-backed YouTube channels

By IANS | Updated: August 23, 2019 09:40 IST

Google has disabled 210 YouTube channels that China used to sow discord among protesters in Hong Kong.

Open in App

The tech giant discovered that these YouTube accounts behaved in a coordinated manner while uploading videos related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

"This discovery was consistent with recent observations and actions related to China announced by Facebook and Twitter," Shane Huntley, Threat Analysis Group at Google Security said in a blog post on Thursday.

Google found use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and other methods to disguise the origin of these accounts and other activity commonly associated with coordinated influence operations.

"Each month, our Threat Analysis Group sends more than 4,000 warnings to our users about attempts by government-backed attackers or other illicit actors to infiltrate their accounts," said the company.

Earlier this week, as pro-democracy protests gained momentum in Hong Kong, Twitter and Facebook suspended several accounts that were part of the Chinese government's influence campaign and targeted protest movement in Hong Kong.

Twitter said it suspended more than 200,000 accounts involved in coordinated inauthentic behaviour including 936 accounts originating from within China.

Facebook said it removed seven Pages, three Groups and five accounts that originated in China and involved in posting fake news pertaining to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

Since June, Hong Kong has been rocked by a wave of protests because of the extradition bill, which would have enabled fugitives to be extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she was willing to create a platform for dialogue, but will not sanction an independent investigation into police actions during the political crisis that has rocked the city for almost three months.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Hong KongchinaGoogle Security
Open in App

Related Stories

International'Illegal Military Operations': China Accuses US and Israel of Strait of Hormuz Crisis

NationalDelhi Government Orders Removal of 2.5 Lakh Chinese CCTV Cameras Over Security Concerns

InternationalChina: Four Dead, Nine Injured After Explosion at Highway Tunnel Construction Site in Chongqing

InternationalChina: Casualties Feared After Bulldozer Runs Over Crowd in Beijing Market (Watch Video)

MumbaiMumbai: DRI Seizes Restricted Goods Worth ₹9.25 Crore; Two Firm Owners Arrested

टेकमेनिया Realted Stories

TechnologyFuel supplies adequate, no need to panic: IOCL

TechnologyGovt working to minimise supply chain impact, pharma sector unaffected: Commerce Secretary

TechnologyNITI Aayog launches ATL Sarthi, Mentor India Academy to deepen school‑level innovation

Technology21 states carrying out press briefs to counter misinformation around LPG: Centre

TechnologySAIL provides 4,000 tonnes of steel for 'INS Taragiri' warship