Facebook to release to Congress Russian-purchased ads linked to 2016 election

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico

By JOSH DAWSEY and ALI WATKINS 09/21/2017 02:56 PM EDT Updated 09/21/2017 03:06 PM EDT

Facebook has struck a deal with Capitol Hill investigators to release advertisements purchased by Russians to influence the 2016 campaign and some associated information with them, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Facebook did not respond for comment. The move comes amid mounting pressure from Congress to release the Russian-related ads, particularly criticism from Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat of Virginia.

The company is also turning over the information to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team but had previously only shown some of the ads to members on the Hill in a private session and had not released extensive information about the ads.

The ads have become of increasing interest to Mueller and his team, according to people familiar with the investigation, because they could show Russian efforts to interfere and who was behind them.

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Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/21/facebook-to-release-russian-purchased-ads-linked-to-2016-election-242982

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UPDATE:

Facebook to give Congress copies of 3,000 political ads bought through Russian accounts, reversing previous decision

By Washington Post Staff September 21 at 3:26 PM

The company had previously shown some of the ads to Capitol Hill investigators but took back copies before they could be studied carefully, citing concerns over user privacy at the time. Facebook has reversed that position amid rising complaints from Capitol Hill that the company was not cooperating fully with its investigation.

Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg was to announce the decision on Facebook Live at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, citing an extensive legal and policy review that concluded that it was vitally important to cooperate fully with Congress and that the company could do so in a way that didnt endanger user privacy, according to a blog post by Facebook General Counsel Colin Stretch.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/09/21/facebook-to-give-congress-copies-of-3000-political-ads-bought-through-russian-accounts-reversing-previous-decision/?utm_term.2d29821b1489

[titaniumsalute]

1. Well gee isn't that pretty much proof that the Russians screwed our elections???????????

[ATL Ebony]

2. Hope they share some of the ads so the deplorables will finally see how they were played. LOL

[iluvtennis]

3. Can't wait for the ads to be share with us the general public

[SeattleVet]

9. That was my first thought, too...

FB should publish them, and repost the bunch of them under the heading, "If you shared this, you were manipulated by Russia"

[bucolic_frolic]

4. In subliminal mind control

the context of the message is as or perhaps more important than the content

The messages viewed today would not have the same impact as they did in the months running up to the election

The contemporaneous themes and news cycles can never be recovered

In other words, the best subconscious techniques hide in plain sight and are lost when over-analyzed

And don't forget the GOP will have their own Shrink/operatives understate the impact

So I don't think this news a victory of any kind

[greyl]

6. The truth or falsity of the propaganda is unlikely to change over time.

Plus, the identities of the actors involved don't depend on context.
I think this news will be a major component of whatever ultimate victory is to come. Delving into how they worked on peoples minds is a slightly different issue that I doubt will affect any legal proceedings.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. I hope you are correct

I just wonder if Russian psychology operates at a more subconscious level than we do. Didn't they do all the experiments with psychokinesis? That wouldn't effect politics, but it shows they have different areas of research and perhaps expertise.

[ffr]

5. Hope they have to forfeit the illegal revenue as well.

[BadgerKid]

8. Wish we can know the more effective ads. N/t