Congressional Hearings on Social Media Interference in the 2016 Election

There were three open Congressional hearings this week addressing Russian interference in U.S. social media. Google, Facebook, and Twitter sent lawyers to represent them. Congressional leaders expressed clear dissatisfaction with the lack of company Chief Executive Officers at the hearings, given the seriousness of the issue.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, at Wednesday’s Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, told the representatives that she doesn’t think they get it. She said she went home disappointed from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the day before:
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/extremist-content-and-russian-disinformation-online-working-with-tech-to-find-solutions
While you might not ordinarily think Congressional hearings are riveting television, these three hearings present the information that shows how far the Russian information operation went in an effort to interfere in the U.S. presidential election. It is fascinating to see the scope of the effort to use divisive social issues to confuse, frighten and pit Americans against each other. Disinformation was used on both sides of social issues to create a wedge between fellow citizens. All voters should see what was done to us as a nation.
The hearings are linked here.
Tuesday, October 31:
Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing “Extremist Content and Russian Disinformation Online: Working with Tech to Find Solutions”
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/extremist-content-and-russian-disinformation-online-working-with-tech-to-find-solutions
Wednesday, November 1:
Senate intelligence Committee Hearing “Social Media Influence in the 2016 U.S. Elections
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/hearings/open-hearing-social-media-influence-2016-us-elections
House Intelligence Committee Hearing  “Russia Investigative Task Force Open Hearing with Social Media Companies”
Opening statements and prepared testimony can be found here.
https://intelligence.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=814
The hearing can be found here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=42c9oMBggIk
The many exhibits used in the Senate Intelligence hearing can be accessed at the Senate committee website.
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/hearings/open-hearing-social-media-influence-2016-us-elections
An article from Wired summarizes the three hearings.
https://www.wired.com/story/six-revealing-moments-from-the-second-day-of-russia-hearings/
An article from Engadget contains examples of some of the propaganda released by the Internet Research Agency.
https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/01/house-intel-committee-releases-russia-backed-facebook-election-a/
The Hamilton 68 dashboard for tracking social media topics on Twitter, created by Securing Democracy  and referenced in the hearings, can be found here.
http://dashboard.securingdemocracy.org/