Fake Facebook pages, accounts originating in China targeted election

Facebook says it removed a small network of fake accounts and pages that originated in China and focused on influencing the U.S. presidential election in November. The activity was not directly linked to the Chinese government and gained almost no following, the company said . Beijing has been expanding its influence operations ahead of the 2020 election but has not mounted an operation on par with Russian operatives in the 2016 presidential election who sought to inflame tensions on hot-button issues such as race and immigration. Much of the activity identified by Facebook focused on the Philippines. In the U.S.,…