Meta targets 'cyber mercenaries' using Facebook to spy

Meta purged some 1,500 social media accounts believed to be used by "cyber mercenaries" who spy on activists, dissidents and journalists worldwide. — AFP)

Facebook parent Meta on Thursday banned a series of "cyber mercenary" groups, and began alerting some 50,000 people likely targeted by the firms accused of spying on activists, dissidents and journalists worldwide.

Meta took down 1,500 Facebook and Instagram pages linked to groups with services allegedly ranging from scooping up public information online to using fake personas to build trust with targets or digital snooping via hack attacks.