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On Wednesday, a U.S. House committee, responsible for the investigation about Russian alleged influence on the US public opinion, asked the chief executive officers of Facebook, Twitter, and Alphabet to reveal the information about the Russian accounts which were used for buying anti-fracking advertisements opposing fracking and fossil fuels to influence US Energy Markets, Reuters reported.
A reason for the investigation
House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith asked the CEOs to file the information on ads, purchased by Russians, and any communications concerning ads.
In his letter to the CEO of Facebook, Twitter and Google’s parent company Alphabet, Smith wrote that Russian ads reflect “the Russian government’s concern about the impact of fracking ... on the global energy market," adding that he wants any information related to “a Russian propaganda war against fossil fuels,” which had been lasting for seven years.
Earlier, Facebook revealed then information that Russians had spent more than $100,000 on more than 3,000 Russia-linked social media ads on its platform financed by fake accounts before and after the 2016 presidential election. Many of the ads raised religious and racial issues to influence the US debate. Mentioning this case, Smith said that "it is likely that the Russian Federation undertook a similar effort using social media to influence the U.S.
energy market.”
Earlier in September, it was stated that one company had been compelled by the Justice Department to register as a foreign agent.
Russia was criticized and accused of meddling Europe
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is continuing the investigation into alleged Donald Trump’s collision with Russia to influence the result of the election, although Trump and Russian authorities have repeatedly denied it.
According to analysts, the Russian Federation started its propaganda for its own global gas profits, the Washington Post reported.
Smith asked the tech giants to respond to his request and reveal "any and all" information about Russian social-media propaganda by October, 10.
NATO officials have criticized Russia for its collision to undermine the energy technology in Europe. Hillary Clinton also publicly expressed her negative point of view and said that Russia created “phony environmental groups” opposed to pipelines and fracking.
