Chinese authorities have used nearly a thousand Twitter accounts, and to a lesser extent Facebook pages, to discredit and divide pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Chinese authorities have used nearly a thousand Twitter accounts, and to a lesser extent Facebook pages, to discredit and divide pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, the two social networks said on Monday.

Twitter suspended 986 accounts

Twitter has suspended 986 accounts that "are coordinated as part of a state-backed" Chinese operation to "undermine the legitimacy and political positions" of the protesters, Twitter says in a blog post.

Facebook said it has removed, for the same reasons, seven pages and three groups of the social network, also "related to individuals associated with the government of Beijing."