Experts are giving their opening statements at Senate Intel's hearing on social media and foreign influence.
More info and a livestream: intelligence.senate.gov/hearings/open-…
More info and a livestream: intelligence.senate.gov/hearings/open-…
Here is @MarkWarner’s opening statement:
Warner: "we will be hosting senior executives from Facebook, Twitter, and Google for a hearing on September 5th.”
Background: buzzfeednews.com/article/emmalo…
Background: buzzfeednews.com/article/emmalo…
Some more background reading: buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanma…
And here’s Burr’s opening statement:
Burr has a chart titled "Russian Focused IRA Efforts vs. US Focused Efforts."
Dr. Philip Howard from Oxford says the Russians’ efforts were “concentrated” and focused on swing states.
Laura Rosenberger says media still has work to do in identifying fake accounts. Cites the example of an IRA Twitter account that was cited by several news outlets during the NFL kneeling controversy.
Sen. Blunt twice mispronounces Bob Mueller’s name, saying Mew-ler instead of Muh-ler. How are people still doing this??
Rosenberger says the fact that Russia continues to interfere shows that they have not paid a heavy enough price for past interference.
Howard: "China has the next best capacity.”
Hah. Manchin asks witnesses where they get their news.
Howard: PBS, BBC, CBC (I fist pumped for a Canadian reference)
Others: NYT, WaPo, WSJ, newspapers in general.
Rubio, jokingly: "No one mentioned TMZ…they’ve got some good stuff.”
Howard: PBS, BBC, CBC (I fist pumped for a Canadian reference)
Others: NYT, WaPo, WSJ, newspapers in general.
Rubio, jokingly: "No one mentioned TMZ…they’ve got some good stuff.”
Howard says the social media industry is "past the point of self-regulation."
Sen. Cornyn references this story: gizmodo.com/when-a-strange…
Looks like this hearing is nearing its end. Burr and Warner both make the point that the effect of cyberattacks and misinformation on the markets can be much greater than the effect on politics.
Warner thanks Burr for taking the social media issue seriously.
"A lot of good's happened since we started this drumbeat over a year ago,” Burr says.
"A lot of good's happened since we started this drumbeat over a year ago,” Burr says.
Burr notes the 2016 Russian influence campaign and warns: “That campaign is still active today.”
Omg. Burr just mentioned the
“This is fine” meme. He says some people think that’s the US but it’s not the case.
“This is fine” meme. He says some people think that’s the US but it’s not the case.
Hearing adjourned. Thanks for following!
