View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

MPs call on Twitter to share info on Russian-backed accounts over fears of meddling in UK politics

By Freddy Mayhew

The culture committee chairman has asked Twitter to provide details of nearly 3,000 user accounts linked to a Kremlin-backed outfit that may have interfered in UK politics.

The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee made the request as part of its ongoing inquiry into fake news.

It follows a similar call for information from chairman Damian Collins MP for data on advertising and pages paid-for by Russian-liked Facebook accounts around the Brexit and general election votes.

The digital giants have testified this week as part of a US congressional probe into Russian interference during the 2016 presidential election.

In a letter addressed to Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, Collins referred to the social platform’s claim that it had found 2,752 accounts relating to the St Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency.

The accounts are understood to have been deactivated.

Collins said: “It has subsequently emerged that some of these accounts were also posting content that relates to the politics of the United Kingdom. Any interference by foreign actors in the democratic process of the United Kingdom is clearly a serious matter.”

Content from our partners
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it
Impress: Regulation, arbitration and complaints resolution

He added: “I would therefore ask that Twitter provides to the committee a list of accounts linked to the Internet Research Agency and any other Russian linked accounts that is has removed and examples of any posts from these accounts that are linked to the United Kingdom.”

Collins gave Twitter until the end of November to meet his request.

Last month Twitter announced that it would stop accepting advertising from all accounts owned by Kremlin-backed Russian news outlets Russia Today and Sputnik, effective immediately.

Picture: Twitter/PA Wire

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network