The biggest Black Lives Matter page on Facebook allegedly was fake, run by a white Australian man who used it to raise at least $100,000 for various causes, CNN reported.
Titled Black Lives Matter, the page was suspended on Monday after CNN inquired about it. The reportedly fake account came to light as Facebook grapples with its public relations nightmare of allegedly failing to protect personal data of its users and for sharing fake news.
Blogger Jerry Massler wrote about the website in December, after noticing that while it posted some content about the Black Lives Matter movement, it went off message at other times, posting items from right wing websites and conspiracy theory memes.
According to Massler, at the time the site had 695,000 followers while the official Black Lives Matter Facebook page had a little more than 300,000 followers.
Before CNN questioned Facebook about the page, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors told the broadcaster that she had personally contacted the social media network about removing it months ago.
CNN said the page was taken down after the broadcaster contacted Ian Mackay, one of the Australian men reportedly connected to it. Mackay is a National Union of Workers official in that country and has registered dozens of websites, many on issues tied to black rights, CNN said.
Mackay told CNN last month that he bought the domain name but sold it and denied running it. The page, though, was deactivated hours after the interview, the broadcaster noted.
In April 2015, Mackay registered blackpowerfist.com, using his name, email address, phone number and other details appeared in the registration records for the site until July 2015, when the website enabled a feature that allows site owners to hide their identities and contact information, CNN said.
The Black Lives Matter page also ran fundraising campaigns through Donorbox, PayPal, Classy, and Patreon, which are now all suspended, according to CNN.
The Guardian reported that National Union of Workers has suspended Mackay and another NUW worker after the CNN inquiries.
"The NUW is not involved in and has not authorized any activities with reference to claims made in CNN's story," Tim Kennedy, NUW national secretary told The Guardian about the Black Lives Matter controversy.
Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in front of Congress this week about the challenges the social media site his facing, sparked partly about the Russian investigation into 2016 election meddling and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, per NBC News.
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