Intel Dem: Panel will have ‘stronger partnership’ with social media firms

Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Thursday the panel will develop a “stronger partnership” with social media companies in order to identify foreign entities trying to sow division within the country. 

“We’re going to have to have a much stronger partnership where the Intelligence Committee identifies Russian troll farms like the one here, they share that information with the social media companies so they can identify those accounts and take them down,” Schiff said on CNN’s “New Day.”

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Schiff said these companies have to be “good corporate citizens” and dedicate more time and resources to properly monitor the threat of outside agents taking advantage of the platforms to influence attitudes or events in the U.S.

“But also, the social media companies are going to have to do a far better job and have to devote more resources and personnel. They are going to have to take another look at their algorithms to see, ‘Are these just aggravating divisions within society?’ ” the California lawmaker continued.

The remarks come after Facebook revealed Monday that Russians bought ads that specifically targeted key presidential swing states such as Michigan and Wisconsin and targeted specific demographic groups in an attempt to influence the presidential election. 

The ads, which were widely seen by roughly 10 million users, have been turned over to lawmakers.

Schiff, on Monday, also called for a review of how the “Russian intelligence services manipulated and took advantage of online platforms to stoke and amplify social and political tensions.”

Both the House and Senate Intelligence committees plan to talk to social media companies including Facebook, Twitter and Google about Russia’s attempt to use their platforms to influence the election and create division.