back to article Facebook, Twitter sucked into US Senate's Russian meddling probe

They may still view themselves as open purveyors of free speech, but increasingly social media giants are being pulled into the US Senate's investigation of Russian interference in the American presidential elections. This week Twitter confirmed that it is going to meet the Senate's intelligence committee that is heading up …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What, as they say, the f(*+)\?

    "…and ads are user content."

    ???

    I am fairly certain that this says a great deal about the company's gestalt, and not just that it is -- as a collective entity -- a soulless pox upon the face of the planet.

    There must be some immense strategic value in asserting that the content it is PAID to deliver is somehow equivalent to the insipid holiday snaps that its "users" insist on inflicting upon its other users… but I'll be damned if I can see it.

  2. Mpeler
    Big Brother

    ad words?

    And yet Eric Schmidt has been full-on contributing to HildeBEAST's and the Klintoons campaigns and foundation, contributing both time, money, and AI "engines" for their *cough* efforts.

    Do no evil?

    I think not.

    And how about that nice infusion(s) of cash from the NSA, Zuck? And the stream of money going to AWS, Boz- er, Bezos?

    Yeah. Tolerance, free speech and impartiality. Only works if you're a liberal...

    Here's a little background on Garble:

    https://wikileaks.org/google-is-not-what-it-seems/

    1. Tom Servo

      Re: ad words?

      Ok, salient points that could be surfaced in somewhat different language if you're looking to genuinely engage in a constructive discussion rather than troll but this is an internet messageboard.

      I believe there is an important distinction to be made between rich citizens throwing money at resources at your election (which is certainly problematic in itself), but there is a difference between Schmidt or the Koch brothers trying to influence their election for their country and foreign governments trying to influence through social media.

      1. JEDIDIAH
        Linux

        Re: ad words?

        > there is a difference between Schmidt or the Koch brothers trying to influence their election for their country and foreign governments trying to influence through social media.

        Only a slim one. It ultimately doesn't matter what language oligarchs or wannabe Kings speak. It's all ultimately the same problem.

  3. Winkypop Silver badge
    Devil

    Facebook [T]roubles

    As that great 80's philosopher Cindy Lauper once said: Money, changes everything....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp4suZ4jNXg

    1. Tikimon

      Useless Trivia Re: Facebook [T]roubles

      Not detracting one bit from Cyndi (still awesome) but she wasn't the philosopher in this case. "Money Changes Everything" was a cover of a 1980 song by Atlanta-based band The Brains, written by singer Tom Gray. The original was actually pretty good, but different style.

      I know, lots of famous toonz came up this way but I'm local and thought the Brains deserved a tiny shout out.

  4. Voland's right hand Silver badge

    Do as I say, not as I do

    "eliminate loopholes" and "prevent illicit foreign campaign spending

    So, when several years back Putin clamped down on OUR spending to influence THEIR elections that was undemocratic. Right?

  5. Jonathan Schwatrz
    Linux

    Amazing!

    This really is a brilliant bit of advertising for The Zuckster! Hillary Clinton and chums spent $1.2 BILLION on her election campaign, but she tells us it was defeated by just $100K of Facebook ads!

    Did no-one in the DNC think to buy some Facebook ads? Heck, they could have got it for free seeing as Facebook employees donated over a $100K to Hillary's campaign. Didn't Dustin Moskovitz (the other and slightly less gruesome Facebook founder) give them any hints when he pledged $20m for Hillary? Come on, she needed ideas, not money - she'd already got plenty of money from foreign "donations" from her time as Sec of State!

    Obviously, the truth is really that it was because Zucky just copied My Excellent Marketing Skills. Did I tell you about The Time I Beat Intel And Dominated The Server Market Forever?

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