Facebook cracks down on Fake Likes

Facebook is finally taking charge to take down those fake likes which we are all aware of. High numbers of Likes can give fan count to pages, particularly those dedicated to brands. And unfortunately, the number of fans/likes still remains the metric for most of the brands. Facebook recently also mentioned about the number of fake accounts the site holds.

Facebook posted this on its official blog -

We have recently increased our automated efforts to remove Likes on pages that may have been gained by means that violate our Facebook terms of service. These newly improved automated efforts will remove those Likes gained by malware, compromised accounts, deceived users or purchased bulk Likes.While we have always had dedicated protections against each of these threats on Facebook, these improved systems have been specifically configured to identify and take action against suspicious Likes. A Like that doesn’t come from someone truly interested in connecting with a page benefits no one. This improvement will allow pages to produce ever more relevant and interesting content, and brands will see an increase in the true engagement around their content.”

Facebook expected that less than one per cent of the fan count on any given page would be trimmed as a result of the crackdown on suspicious Likes.

Shares of Facebook set a new low on Friday, falling to $18.08. Facebook has lost more than 50 percent of its market value since its initial public offering in May. Along with the new ad targeting options, Facebook finally seems to be putting an effort to provide some value to their advertisers. The authenticity of Likes & the advertising revenue from brands needless to say are directly related. Facebook has a lot to do to regain the faith of the advertisers and this cleanup will definitely add value to the users and advertisers. Wonder how quick they'd crack this down!