Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election on social media was more widespread than previously thought and included attempts to divide Americans by race and extreme ideology, said reports by private experts released on Monday by US senators from both parties.
The Russian government's Internet Research Agency, based in St. Petersburg, Russia, tried to manipulate US politics, said the reports, one by social media analysts New Knowledge and the other by an Oxford University team working with analytical firm Graphika.
The twin reports largely verified earlier findings by US intelligence agencies, but offered much more detail about Russian activity going back years, said the reports and senior lawmakers. For instance, one Russian troll farm tried to encourage US "secessionist movements" in California and Texas. the New Knowledge report said.
"This newly released data demonstrates how aggressively Russia sought to divide Americans by race, religion and ideology," said Richard Burr, the Republican chairman of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, in a statement.
The Russian agency worked to erode trust in US democratic institutions and its activities have not stopped, he said. The committee collected data from social media companies that was used by the private analysts in their analysis.
Senator Mark Warner, the committee's top Democrat, said,"These reports demonstrate the extent to which the Russians exploited the fault lines of our society to divide Americans in an attempt to undermine and manipulate our democracy.
---Reuters, Washington
Latest News