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UK Lawmakers Seek Facebook Data on Russia-linked Brexit Ads

by Associated Press

   LONDON --

   British lawmakers have asked Facebook to release information about
   Russian-linked activity around the U.K.'s European Union membership
   referendum and recent election.
   The House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee said
   it is seeking details of ads and pages set up by Russian-linked
   accounts during the 2016 referendum and 2017 election campaign, as well
   as information about their cost, targeting and reach.

   In a letter to Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, committee
   chairman Damian Collins said the information is being sought for an
   investigation into "the role of foreign actors abusing platforms such
   as yours to interfere in the political discourse of other nations."

   The committee announced earlier this year it was setting up an inquiry
   into the phenomenon of "fake news."
   Collins said the requested information is in line with that supplied by
   Facebook to U.S. Senate committees investigating the 2016 presidential
   election.
   Facebook said Tuesday it has received the letter "and will respond once
   we have had the opportunity to review the request."
   Facebook disclosed last month it had found ads linked to fake accounts
   - likely run from Russia - that sought to influence the U.S. election.
   Facebook said the ads focused on divisive political issues such as
   immigration and gun rights in an apparent attempt to sow discord among
   the U.S. population.
   The tech company has handed over several thousand ads to three
   congressional committees and shut down 470 pages and accounts in
   response to U.S. lawmakers' probes into Russian meddling in the
   election.
   In Britain, calls are increasing for more information on the role of
   online advertising in the June 2016 EU referendum, in which 52 percent
   of voters opted to leave the bloc and 48 percent to remain.
   Opposition Labor Party lawmaker Ben Bradshaw last week urged the
   government and electoral officials to investigate reports of "the role
   of dark money in the EU referendum campaign."