Congress could have all Russian Facebook ads by next week
A source familiar with the Facebook investigation says the company is still in the process of handing over all of the ads to congressional investigators connected to Russian internet trolls. According to a source familiar with the process, the company is trying to be as diligent and careful as possible.
Facebook has been running data and matching information obtained during the investigation into the ads. This process has been described as "cumbersome". But by some time next week, congressional investigators could have the ads Facebook has pledged to hand over, the same amount received by the special counsel's office. The ads will only pertain to Russian-backed activities in the U.S. There have been reports of Russian-backed internet troll activities on Facebook targeting other countries.
CBS News has also independently confirmed a report by CNN that at least one ad pertained to Black Lives Matter. A Black Lives Matter ad appeared on Facebook at some point in late 2015 or early 2016. The ad could be seen in two ways -- as supportive of Black Lives Matter, but also as a portrayal of the group as threatening to some residents of Baltimore and Ferguson. The goal was to sow discord.
There were posts promoting Black Lives Matter, gun rights and the Second Amendment, and warning about the threat undocumented immigrants pose to American democracy.
Since the election, Russians have sought to raise questions about western democracies.