Russian Facebook adverts targeted states ‘crucial to Trump victory’
Social media giant estimates Kremlin-backed ads were seen by ten million Americans during election
Russia-linked Facebook ads targeted swing states crucial to US President Donald Trump’s victory, according to new reports, adding further fuel to claims that the Kremlin interfered in last year’s election.
CNN has cited four sources “with direct knowledge of the situation”, who confirmed that Russian ads targeted the battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin in the run-up to the vote last November.
Michigan, which Trump won by about 10,700 votes from his Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton, and Wisconsin, which he won by about 22,700, were both crucial to his electoral college victory.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
NBC News also claims political ads targeted other swing states, including Florida, Georgia and Ohio, all of which went to Trump.
As part of investigations into foreign involvement in the election, special counsel Robert Mueller and congressional committees are asking whether the Russians received any advice from Trump associates on where to target the ads. The focus on Michigan and Wisconsin “adds more evidence that the Russian group tied to the effort was employing a wide range of tactics potentially aimed at interfering in the election”, says CNN.
On Monday, Facebook’s vice president for policy and communications, Elliot Schrage, said an estimated ten million people in the US saw at least one of the 3,400 political ads bought by accounts linked to the Russian government.
Schrage said most of the ads “appear to focus on divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum, touching on topics from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights” and were designed to appeal directly to swing voters.
His disclosure came hours after Facebook handed over detailed records of the ads to House and Senate intelligence and judiciary committees, including data about buyers and their targets.
Facebook has admitted it is “possible” that there are more Russian-bought political ads on the network yet to be identified. Although the focus has been on assessing the origin and impact of ads placed in the run-up to the presidential election, there are also concerns that the site could be weaponised again for the 2018 midterms.
CNBC says Facebook is facing “mounting criticism” in Washington about its response to the propaganda and misinformation that Russia-based organisations placed on its site.
Following Trump’s victory, Facebook founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said it would be “crazy” to think the site could have swayed the election. Yet, less than a month ago, evidence that foreign political actors had used the site to influence voters led him to apologise for the comment, and pledge the company’s commitment to stopping foreign governments interfering in US elections.
In response to the latest Facebook submissions, Senator Mark Warner, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, said he intends to introduce a bill that will remove an exemption for online political ads that has previously shielded their buyers from public scrutiny.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 2, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - anti-fascism, early voter turnout, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
DOJ charges 2 Russians for funding US far-right media
Speed Read Russia is running disinformation campaigns to influence US politics ahead of the 2024 election, officials say
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'The fate of the moonshot is inextricably tied to Boeing's performance'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What did Donald Trump accomplish as president?
The Explainer These are the achievements he can point to as he asks voters for a second term in office.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Last updated
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
How could a $10M Egyptian cash withdrawal upend Trump's campaign?
Today's Big Question A scuttled Justice Department investigation into alleged foreign election interference returns to complicate the 2024 presidential election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Last updated
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published