MPs demand Facebook reveal evidence Russia meddled in UK election and EU referendum
The Commons’ Culture Committee is set to write to the social network boss Mark Zuckerburg and insist he offers up all dealings Facebook had with Kremlin-linked groups
A POWERFUL group of MPs will today demand Facebook reveal any evidence that Russia used it to meddle in Britain’s general election and EU referendum.
The Commons’ Culture Committee will today announce it is sending a letter to the social network’s boss Mark Zuckerburg.
In a repeat of the US Congress’s demands, the MPs will insist he offers up all dealings Facebook had with Kremlin-linked groups who pushed political messaging during the two nationwide polls in June this year and last.
Facebook have admitted in the US that it allowed suspect Russian groups to post 3,000 ads to help propel President Trump to victory.
Fears are growing that Vladimir Putin’s online stooges tried the same trickery in the UK.
The culture committee’s chairman Damian Collins has told The Sun Facebook will already know whether the fears over election meddling here are true.
Mr Collins said: “We have seen from the investigation in the USA that Facebook was used by Russian backed organisations to try and influence the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election.
“We need to know if the same techniques have been used in the UK around our election and the Brexit referendum.
“Facebook holds this information and I would like them to share it with the DCMS select committee as part of our inquiry into fake news, and the impact the abuse of social media platforms can have on our democracy.”
In its letter, the committee will also ask Facebook to hand over all details about political advertising purchased during the two British campaigns by Russian and other suspect foreign groups.
Twitter and Google have also admitted to Washington DC lawmakers that they too were used by Kremlin-linked elements to boost Trump’s chances.
Russian ‘troll factories’ were also ordered to smear Hillary Clinton with thousands of fake news postings.
Former GCHQ boss Robert Hannigan last week warned ministers they will have to regulate Facebook and other online giants to counter the threat of fake news.
