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Federal Reserve Facebook page overrun by Internet 'trolls'

By Daniel Uria
Federal Reserve Board Chairperson Janet Yellen makes remarks as she testifies before the House Financial Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in February. The Fed's newly created Facebook page was quickly overrun with sarcastic and critical comments this week. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Federal Reserve Board Chairperson Janet Yellen makes remarks as she testifies before the House Financial Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in February. The Fed's newly created Facebook page was quickly overrun with sarcastic and critical comments this week. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Federal Reserve's newly created Facebook page has been quickly overrun with comments from critics and Internet "trolls."

A press release on Aug. 18 announced the creation of the Facebook page.

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"The Federal Reserve Board launched a Facebook page Leaving the Board on Thursday with the aim of increasing the accessibility and availability of Federal Reserve Board news and educational content," the release stated.

The page has gained more than 13,000 likes but has been flooded with critical and sarcastic comments, starting from its very first post.

"Can you guys please help me get some of that QE? I'm trying to buy 16 cars, 4 houses, 2 jets and a yacht," one commenter wrote. "I swear it will stimulate the economy. I'll spend it all and cycle it back. I know velocity needs to pick up so I'll make sure to pay lots of models to live in my houses and travel with me. Thanks Fed! You are such a moral and upstanding institution!"

"Tell me more about the private meeting on Jekyll island and the plans for public prosperity that some of the worlds richest and most powerful bankers made in secret, please," another commenter wrote on Thursday, referring to the privately owned island off the coast of Georgia where bankers and political leaders met in 1910 to discuss the creation of the Federal Reserve system.

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A Federal Reserve spokesman told US News the Facebook page was created as part of a plan to emphasize "enhancing communications via the board's website and other external channels," including existing Twitter, Flickr and LinkedIn pages.

"The goal of our Facebook page is to inform a broad range of Americans about the activities and policies of the Federal Reserve," the spokesman said. "We are achieving that goal. In its first week, the page has reached more than 100,000 people and increased traffic to our website."

The spokesman also added that comments were being read and addressed by additional posts.

"We are reading the comments and, from time to time, are responding by posting additional information to address common questions," he said.

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