The Latest on Facebook and the investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 election (all times local):
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Latest on Facebook and the investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 election (all times local):
6:30 p.m.
Facebook says ads that ran on the company’s social media platform and have been linked to a Russian internet agency were seen by an estimated 10 million people before and after the 2016 election.
In a new company blog post, Facebook’s Elliot Schrage says the ads appeared to focus on divisive social and political messages, including LGBT issues, immigration and gun rights. Fewer than half of the ads were seen before the election, with 56 percent of them seen after the election. Some of the ads were paid for in Russian currency.
Facebook officials turned over the ads on Monday to three congressional committees that are investigating Russian influence in the 2016 election.
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11 a.m.
Facebook is announcing more measures to increase transparency in advertising as the company provides Congress with more than 3,000 ads linked to a Russian ad agency.
The company is announcing Monday that it will hire more than 1,000 people for global ad review teams, according to a Facebook official. Facebook will also update its policies to require better documentation from advertisers who want to run ads related to the U. S. election, including a requirement that the advertisers will have to confirm the business or organization they represent.
The official declined to be named because the new measures haven’t yet been officially announced.
Facebook officials are turning over the ads to three congressional committees that are investigating Russian influence in the 2016 election.
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3:30 a.m.
Social media giant Facebook is expected to provide Congress on Monday with more than 3,000 ads that ran during the 2016 presidential election and are linked to a Russian ad agency.
A Facebook official tells The Associated Press that company officials will meet with the House and Senate intelligence committees and the Senate Judiciary Committee to hand over the ads. The official has requested anonymity because the meetings are private.
Facebook said last month that it had found thousands of ads linked to Facebook accounts that likely operated out of Russia and pushed divisive social and political issues during the U. S. presidential election.
The three committees are investigating Russian meddling in the election and have examined the spread of false news stories and propaganda on social media.
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