“Social media platforms are developing new tools to improve transparency and eliminate fraudulent accounts, but they must do more to protect users, including service members and veterans, from scams, fake news and foreign interference, advocates and lawmakers said Wednesday.”
“In a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing about the exploitation of veterans on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms, advocates said the companies aren’t doing enough to stop the spread of online disinformation, financial fraud and political manipulation.”
“Instead, said Kristofer Goldsmith, associate director for policy and government affairs at Vietnam Veterans of America, they continue relying heavily on organizations and individual users to track their identities and watch for disinformation, much as he did when he uncovered misuse of his organization’s logo across Facebook pages and websites…”
“On Monday, Senate Democrats sent letters to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie and Defense Secretary Mark Esper expressing concern that China is using platforms such as LinkedIn to recruit spies and other foreign actors are using it to interfere with next year’s presidential election.”
“The senators want to know what the departments are doing to teach service members and veterans on detecting malicious activity and preventing fraud…” Read the full article here.
Source: VA, DoD must do more to educate troops and veterans about social media scammers, lawmakers say – By Patricia Kime, November 14, 2019. Military Times.
