How Russian-backed agitation online spilled into the real world in 2016
Sen. Richard Burr wasted no time on Wednesday connecting the abstract and amorphous story that is Russian election interference to strife in the real world.
With lawyers from Facebook, Twitter, and Google sitting before him, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman described a divisive scene in Houston last year — engineered entirely by Russian influence-mongers.
One Facebook group, the "Heart of Texas," posted anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim content, then began promoting an event on May 21, 2016 marketed to "stop the Islamization of Texas."
A second group "United Muslims of America," also began advertising an event to "save Islamic Knowledge" — across the street from the "Heart of Texas" rally.
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Combined, the advertising and social media campaign cost about $200, but created a tangible show of polarization that brought out crowds and received news coverage.
"I'm certain that our adversaries are learning from the Russian activities and even watching us today," Burr told the witnesses. "Simply put, you must do better to protect the American people, and frankly, all of your users from this kind of manipulation."
Wednesday morning's hearing on Russian interference grew more heated than Tuesday's session before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee. Lawmakers wondered aloud why they were talking to the general counsels for the companies, instead of the CEOs.
"I have more than a little bit of frustration that many of us on this committee have been raising this issue since the beginning of this year and our claims were frankly blown off by the leaderships of your companies," said the ranking Democrat on the committee, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. "Candidly, your companies know more about Americans than the United States government does and the idea that you had no idea that any of this was happening strains my credibility."
The Big Tech lawyers said they were sympathetic, but would not commit on the record to supporting legislation that would regulate transparency for political ads on their platforms. They did say they agreed that more transparency is needed.
The Senate Intelligence Committee is one of a few committees investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election cycle and possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives.
The social media companies will testify before another, the House Intelligence Committee, on Wednesday afternoon.