British MPs ask Twitter for details on Russian-linked accounts

A House of Commons committee investigating "fake news" and its influence on British politics asked Twitter on Friday for details of Russian-linked accounts, days after making a similar request of Facebook.

Damian Collins, the chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport committee, noted evidence the Internet giant had provided to the US Congress about Russian-backed content aimed at meddling in last year's presidential election.

"During the hearings, it became clear that your organisation has discovered 2,752 accounts related to the St Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency," he wrote to Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey.

"It has subsequently emerged that some of these accounts were also posting content that relates to the politics of the United Kingdom.

"Any interference by foreign actors in the democratic process of the United Kingdom is clearly a serious matter."

He asked for "a list of accounts linked to the Internet Research Agency and any other Russian-linked accounts that it (Twitter) has removed and examples of any posts from these accounts that are linked to the United Kingdom".

Collins asked for the information by the end of November.

The MP wrote to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg last month requesting details "relating to any adverts and pages paid for, or set up by, Russia-linked accounts" relating to last year's Brexit vote or the June 2017 general election.

Collins told AFP at the time that he plans to hold hearings at the British embassy in Washington early next year, with the aim of having social media bosses appear before the committee.

ar/pg

Facebook

Amid soaring profits, Facebook vows to curb abuse
San Francisco (AFP) Nov 2, 2017
Facebook on Wednesday reported that profits leapt on booming revenue from online ads in the third quarter, topping investor forecasts and buoying shares already at record highs. The leading social network said it made a profit of $4.7 billion in the quarter that ended on September 30, a jump of 79 percent from the same period a year earlier. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg used the updat ... read more

Related Links
Cyberwar - Internet Security News - Systems and Policy Issues

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal