Facebook confirms that Russians have intervened in US presidential elections

The social networking site said about 80,000 posts were produced before and after the 2016 presidential elections by Russian websites.

Most positions focused on social and political messages.

Facebook released the figures before two Senate sessions where together with Twitter and Google will provide details about the Russian state's impact on these social sites.

Russia has consistently denied allegations that about the impact on the recent presidential elections of the United States, in which Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.

In a major development Monday, an investigation by independent lawyer Robert Mueller into a possible deal between the Trump campaign and Russia produced the first charges against the previous two aides. It also turned out that a third former assistant was found guilty in early October who had lied FBI.

President Trump has dismissed accusations of co-operation with Moscow and has repeatedly called for Clinton to be investigated.

What does Facebook say?

Facebook says about 80,000 posts were published in mid-June 2015 and August 2017 and viewed directly by about 29 million Americans, according to a draft prepared before the Senate's session Tuesday.

These posts, which Facebook said were created by a company linked to the Kremlin, were amplified through preferences, actions and comments, which spread to ten million and more people, reports “BBC”, report Periscope.

“These actions are contrary to Facebook's mission to build the community”, Facebook General Lawyer Colin Stretch wrote.

“We are determined to do everything we can to address this new threat”, he said.

The company also said it had erased 170 Instagram accounts, which published about 120,000 pieces of content.

What about other social networking sites?

Google also found on Monday that thousands of Russians had charged more than 1,000 political videos on YouTube on 18 different channels. The company said they had very low expectations charges and there was no evidence they had been targeting American viewers.

Meanwhile, Titter found and suspended all 2,752 accounts he had attended at the Russian-based Internet research agency, quoted a source for “Reuters”.

These accounts, which have now been suspended, have posted some 131,000 tickets between September 2016 and November 2016.

November 2016: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says the “ide that false news on Facebook influenced the US elections is a crazy idea”.

August 2017: Facebook says it will fight the false news by sending more stories suspected of fraud against factors and publishing their findings online.

October 2017: Google finds evidence that Russian agents spent tens of thousands of dollars on advertising in an attempt to influence elections, reports say.

October 2017: Twitter bans Russian media like “Sputnik” from buying advertising amid fears they tried to intervene in the elections.

Apparently, not learning from error, we understand that the extension of Facebook's message to various government committees this week will be that only one in 23,000 messages distributed on the network were from the Russians.

Meanwhile, the White House sought to downplay the arrest of former Prime Minister Trump's campaign manager Paul Manafort and Assistant Rick Gates on money laundering charges not linked to the 2016 campaign.

Another adviser to Mr. Trump's campaign, George Papadopoulos, was found guilty of lying. The FBI for its contacts with Russia in the first such indictments by Robert Mueller's special lawyer, investigating alleged links between the Trump and Moscow campaign.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Papadopoulos was working on a “voluntary option” and “no activity was made on an official mission”.

Analysts say Papadopoulos's case has the potential to harm the US leader and that he may have helped in Mueller's investigations since his July arrest, which was not public until Monday.

Former campaign manager Trump Paul Manafort and business associate Rick Gates deny 12 counts, including plotting to launder money and plot against USA.

They reportedly have concealed millions of dollars in profits from Ukrainian politician Viktor Janukovic and his pro-Russian party

Both Manafort and Gates are currently under house arrest, provided for $10m and $5m, respectively.

Former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos was convicted of lying FBI on date time with suspected mediator for Russia. /Periscopi/