Facebook, Twitter and Google Berated by Senators on Russia (bbc.com)

From a BBC report: Russian operatives, likely working from St Petersburg, provoked angry Americans to take to the streets, a US Senate committee heard on Wednesday. The May 2016 protest, arranged by a group named Heart of Texas, was one example of Kremlin-backed efforts to destabilise the American electoral process. Lawyers for three technology companies -- Facebook, Twitter and Google -- were told they were grossly underestimating the scale of the problem. "You just don't get it," said California Senator Dianne Feinstein. "What we're talking about is a cataclysmic change. What we're talking about is the beginning of cyber-warfare." She added: "We are not going to go away, gentlemen. This is a very big deal." [...] Several senators suggested that more hearings and consultation would be needed, expressing their frustration that the companies were not being represented by higher-ranking executives. "I'm disappointed that you're here, and not your CEOs," said independent senator Angus King. From a FastCompany report: Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) had one specific and simple question for Facebook's Colin Stretch. He wanted to know about 30,000 fake accounts Facebook discovered earlier this year that were trying to influence the French election. At the time, Facebook bragged that it was able to discover these accounts and swiftly took them down. Warner wanted to know if Facebook, after discovering these accounts, cross-checked to see if these same accounts also tried to tamper with the U.S. election. "Your leadership bragged about how proactively you were in the French election process," said Warner, "Did you check those accounts [with the U.S. election]?" Stretch couldn't give a straight answer. "The system that ran to take down those accounts -- which were fake accounts of all type and any purpose -- is now active worldwide," he said. Warner wasn't amused. "Just answer my question," he said. "Have you reviewed the accounts you took down in France that were Russian-related to see if they played any role in the American election?" Once again, Facebook couldn't answer.

Comments

provoked angry Americans to take to the streets

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm confused. They got MORE Americans to get out and vote. That's practically the holy grail of democratic elections. In a country that historically has dismal voter turnout!

Or are we all just pissed that the 'wrong' people voted? Maybe next time the 'right' people can get out and vote instead...

Re:provoked angry Americans to take to the streets

[Dread_ed]

First, until the whole kit and caboodle of information relating to these advertisements and accounts is revealed to the public we can't even begin to have an informed and fruitful discussion about what the intention was. That we do not have this information now is telling. It is an intentional smoke screen put up by our government, supported by the tech companies, and enabled by the press. It shows you one thing more than anything else, namely the first rule of the carnival: Don't let the rubes see the man behind the curtain. If you haven't figured it out, you are the rube, rube.

Second, these politicians appear to be upset that the fertile ground they created is being planted by other parties. Forsooth, it is their perpetual use of wedge issues and focus groups that gives them the ability to force coherent blocks of the electorate apart with intentionally fomented hatred and suspicion. After all of these decades of intentional mistreatment by the people we elect, the people are so sensitized to social issues they cannot even have a rational and sane discussion of the same.

Third, how the holy fucking fuck do they know that what the "Russians" did with advertising is effective? Oh, yeah, right...they do it themselves all of the time and have definitive proof of how to manipulate the American public.

Fourth, with all of the money and influence going back and forth from BOTH parties to Russia, I would not be surprised if payments were made from the US political parties to Russia to place these advertisements in the first damn place. If you would be surprised by this I recommend you study up on one thing that will open your mind to the truth. It's called: American History.

I am firmly convinced that if you are scared of the Russia boogeyman in the election you are so incredibly gullible and stupid they should lock you in a room and throw away the room.

Re:Surely the tech firms LOVE Trump

[Tablizer]

They are mixed on T. While the tech firms love deregulation and lower taxes, they don't like losing their supply of overseas labor, and don't like being told when and how include/exclude security features to allegedly help law enforcement and DHS.

Re:Senate: Come on, guys, please take us seriously

[WrongMonkey]

The 2016 election is a massive data point against the assumption that companies can just "buy" an election. All the corporate interests were aligned with Clinton. She raised and spent twice as much as Trump. All after Trump beat out better finances candidates in the GOP primary.