Facebook deletes accounts of German anti-lockdown group

Berlin, Sep 17: Social media giant Facebook deleted nearly 150 accounts, pages and groups linked with Germany's Querdenken (Lateral Thinking) movement, the platform's representatives said on Thursday.

"The people behind this activity used authentic and duplicate accounts to post and amplify violating content, primarily focused on promoting the conspiracy that the German government's COVID-19 restrictions are part of a larger plan to strip citizens of their freedoms and basic rights," Facebook head of security policy, Nathaniel Gleicher told reporters.

The group gained popularity during anti-lockdown protests in Germany, and attracted variousfringe groups including people from the far-right.

Source: DW