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In an update on the progress of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, the Senate Intelligence Committee weighed in on recent revelations that have implicated major tech companies<\/a>. The committee plans to hear open public testimony from Facebook, Twitter and Google on November 1 pertaining to their role in selling political ads<\/a> to Russian government entities and fostering an environment in which shadowy foreign-funded political propaganda efforts could thrive.<\/p>\n According to the chairman, Richard Burr, it took time for tech leaders to warm up to the notion that they were responsible for influence campaigns run on their platforms. \u201cI was concerned at first that some social media platforms did not take this threat seriously enough,\u201d Burr said. \u201cThe three companies we\u2019ve invited, Google, Twitter and Facebook, will appear in a public hearing.\u201d<\/p>\n Burr made it clear that his committee could not release the ads that Facebook handed over as part of the investigation, but Facebook and the other companies are not constrained by the committee from doing so.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t release documents provided by to our committee, period,\u201d Burr said. \u201c[It\u2019s] not a practice that we\u2019re going to get into. Clearly if any of the social media platforms would like to do that, we\u2019re fine with them doing it because we\u2019ve already got scheduled an open hearing. We believe that the American people deserve to know firsthand.\u201d<\/p>\n Senate Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner echoed Burr\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThere will be more forensics done by these companies,\u201d Warner said. \u201cI think they\u2019ve got some more work to do and I\u2019m pleased to say I think they\u2019re out doing that work now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day it\u2019s important that the public sees these ads,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The committee is focused on three areas of the Russian ad scandal. First, Burr and Warner stated that Americans have a right to know the source of social media ads and if they were created by \u201cforeign entities.\u201d Second, when a story is trending, the committee believes that Americans should be able to determine if that trending topic is a result of bots or otherwise artificial engagement. Third, \u201cyou ought to be able to go down and take a look at an ad run for or against you like you\u2019d be able to get a look at that content on TV,\u201d Burr said.<\/p>\n The committee reiterated that its investigation had made it clear that Russia\u2019s efforts to interfere with the American political process are ongoing.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Russian active measures efforts did not end on election day 2016,\u201d Warner said. \u201cWe need to be on guard.\u201d<\/p>\n For its part, Facebook tried to get ahead of Wednesday\u2019s press briefing, printing a full page ad in The Washington Post as damage control for whatever Burr and Warner said about the company\u2019s role in the election and its interactions with the committee.<\/p>\n Facebook\u2019s full-page ad on election interference \u2014 ahead of Warner\/Burr\u2019s Senats Intel press conference today $FB<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/sITi03zqLB<\/a><\/p>\n\n