Foreign Interference

by | Nov 6, 2017 | CBS Radio Report


Foreign InterferenceEarlier this week lawyers from Facebook, Twitter and Google’s parent company Alphabet appeared on Capitol Hill. This marked the first time tech executives have been called to testify in front of congress on how Russia allegedly used social media to influence the 2016 campaign.

During the testimony it was revealed that as many as 126 million Americans over the course of two years might have seen posts on Facebook that originated in Russia under fake names. Google and Twitter also acknowledged that people in Russia used their services to spread messages ahead of the election.

Now the three tech companies say they are taking steps towards self-regulation. They say they are creating their own public archives of election related ads that will include who paid for them. The announcement came after admitting that since the internet has no borders, Russia may not be the only country to interfere with our technology. Sometimes it might pay to be a little less connected.

Brian Banmiller

About Brian

CBS News Radio national business journalist Brian Banmiller has spent more than 40 years in the news industry, covering business, politics and the economy on television, radio and in print. Currently, his “Banmiller on Business” reports are delivered to an audience of millions nationwide.

Never miss an update.

Click “Like” below to get my latest updates directly in your Facebook feed.