Facebook promises crackdown on fake news in Australia

A 3D plastic representation of the Facebook logo is seen in front of displayed cables in this illustration in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina May 13, 2015. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Files

SYDNEY: Social media giant Facebook Inc said on April 5 it would strengthen measures to fight fake news in Australia and briefly block foreigners from buying political advertisements in the lead-up to a national election due in a few weeks.

The move comes with the company – and its peers around the world – under growing pressure to rid their platforms of misinformation after Russia allegedly used Facebook to influence the 2016 US presidential election.