Meta said it removed over 10 million Facebook accounts in the first half of 2025 as part of a crackdown on fakes, spam, and fraud. The move is aimed at strengthening the integrity of the platform and ensuring the protection of original content creators.
The main focus is aimed at fake accounts that use someone else’s identity (e.g. using deepfake technology) and profiles associated with fraudulent or misleading activity. Scammer profiles often mimic names, photos, and original content in an attempt to fraudulently steal users’ personal information or funds.
It’s worth noting that Meta actively removes specifically fraudulent accounts, not just inactive ones like other companies do.
The wave of removals is part of a wider campaign to create a safe and secure environment for content creators on Facebook who generate revenue via monetisation programmes. Meta believes that creators should not have to compete with accounts that use deceptive tactics to increase visibility.
Between January and June 2025, Meta removed:
- 10 million accounts impersonating famous people.
- 500,000 accounts that used spam and artificial engagement tactics
Meta’s actions were not limited to deleting accounts. Facebook also punished accounts with suspicious behaviour by limiting the reach of posts, demoting the content in feed, and disabling monetisation features. This is because fraudsters often resort to manipulative methods, such as bots to gain likes and comments. Such techniques distort ranking algorithms and content display, creating a false impression of popularity or reliability of the account.
Meta has also noted that it will continue this policy and strengthen the fight against fake accounts in the future.
- Read more at Google News.
