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Mueller investigation focusing on social media's role in 2016 election: report
The Hill ^ | September 13, 2017 | Max Greenwood

Posted on 09/13/2017 3:25:31 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election is focusing increasingly on how Moscow used social media to disrupt the presidential race, according to a Bloomberg report.

That involves seeking additional information about Russian activities on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook disclosed last week that a Kremlin-linked company purchased more than $100,000 worth of ads on its platform that ran between June 2015 and May 2017.

Those ads were linked to nearly 500 fraudulent accounts that likely operated out of Russia and focused on hot-button issues like immigration and gun control.

Likewise, Twitter is expected to hand over to Congress an analysis of Russian activity on its platform, similar to the one provided by Facebook last week.

Social media has become an increasingly vulnerable target for foreign nations to try to influence the elections and policies of other countries, according to Bloomberg. U.S. intelligence agencies, including the FBI and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, are exploring how to prevent future election meddling. Meanwhile, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats warned that Russia is stepping up its cyber operations, saying Wednesday that Moscow has "assumed an even more aggressive cyber posture by increasing cyber espionage operations and leaking data stolen from those operations."

Congressional investigators are also turning their attention increasingly toward the role of social media in Russia's election meddling efforts.

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on Tuesday that his panel would likely interview Facebook officials as part of its investigation into Russian interference in the election, according to Bloomberg.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Bloomberg that his panel has been talking with tech companies, including Facebook, about the matter.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Conspiracy; Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: 2016; hillary; joke; jumptheshark; mueller; trump
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So he's going to arrest Zuckerberg?

$100,000 worth of ads over a two year period swayed a national election? Teach me how to do that!

1 posted on 09/13/2017 3:25:32 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Mueller’s investigation is really starting to look like one big huge fishing expedition.


2 posted on 09/13/2017 3:28:12 PM PDT by MeganC (Democrat by birth, Republican by default, conservative by principle.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

This is a Democrat Lawyer Welfare Project (DLWP), plain and simple. These guys would have nothing to do if it weren’t for this boondoggle.


3 posted on 09/13/2017 3:30:03 PM PDT by SubMareener (Save us from Quarterly Freepathons! Become a MONTHLY DONOR)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

True! If $50,000 worth of ads in a year can sway the election then why are the pols trying so hard to raise money. They don’t need those high priced election consultants, just hire the Russians


4 posted on 09/13/2017 3:30:58 PM PDT by McGavin999 ("The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood."Thomas Jefferson)
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To: SubMareener

The lawyer fools have no shame...or integrity. Losers.


5 posted on 09/13/2017 3:31:02 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

As examples....they cited one in Texas and one in Idaho....those Russians turned both states against Hillary.

This has to be a joke


6 posted on 09/13/2017 3:33:01 PM PDT by SPRINK
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yes, that amounts to about how many minutes? Clinton mentioned fake news accounts. It was not necessary to create fake news about her; just reel off her statements and actions.


7 posted on 09/13/2017 3:34:01 PM PDT by odawg
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To: McGavin999

If a measely $100k can get mueller’s attention, how bout him takin a look at the millions soros dumped on the elections


8 posted on 09/13/2017 3:34:55 PM PDT by thinden
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To: McGavin999

And the bitch spent upwards of a billion dollars to lose? Yeah, this makes perfect sense.


9 posted on 09/13/2017 3:35:01 PM PDT by hardspunned
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To: SubMareener

“This is a Democrat Lawyer Welfare Project (DLWP), plain and simple.”

*****

No. Worse than that. It’s taxpayer-funded Democrat opposition research for winning in 2020.


10 posted on 09/13/2017 3:37:06 PM PDT by peyton randolph (Socialism Lite is still Socialism)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
" involves seeking additional information about Russian activities on Facebook and Twitter. "

Well, that settles it!!! Trump is guilty, since he has a Twitter account.

11 posted on 09/13/2017 3:38:34 PM PDT by norwaypinesavage (The stone age didn't end because we ran out of stones.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

$100K ain’t sh1t compared to what the russians paid Hillary and her rapist husband.


12 posted on 09/13/2017 3:39:00 PM PDT by Fred911 (YOU GET WHAT YOU ACCEPT)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

$100K ain’t sh1t compared to what the russians paid Hillary and her rapist husband.


13 posted on 09/13/2017 3:39:16 PM PDT by Fred911 (YOU GET WHAT YOU ACCEPT)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Have we seen the content of the media buys done by these Russian agents? I thought Facebook was denying access to the actual messages.

How do we know that they were anti-Hillary? Were they, perhaps, on Bernie’s behalf? What was the timimg?


14 posted on 09/13/2017 3:39:29 PM PDT by the_Watchman
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To: All

I’m still waiting to get my check from Putin for posting some pro-trump tweets on twitter


15 posted on 09/13/2017 3:47:22 PM PDT by escapefromboston (manny ortez: mvp)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Unless Trump was involved, how is this within Mueller’s mandate?


16 posted on 09/13/2017 3:48:15 PM PDT by Defiant (It's not antifa, it's actually antifafa. Antifa Fascists.)
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To: MeganC

It’s beginning to resemble the downfall of Joe McCarthy.
“Have you no shame, Senator? Have you no shame?”


17 posted on 09/13/2017 3:48:57 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Isn’t $100,000 one fifth what some Russians paid Hilliary’s husband for making a speech.


18 posted on 09/13/2017 3:51:03 PM PDT by etcb
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To: hardspunned

It’s beyond funny. It’s Alice in Wonderland


19 posted on 09/13/2017 3:54:22 PM PDT by McGavin999 ("The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood."Thomas Jefferson)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If he is truly going down that road, my gut tells me that he has exhausted all other avenues. Grasping at straws comes to mind.


20 posted on 09/13/2017 3:55:20 PM PDT by j_guru
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