Tech execs to testify at Russia hearings

Google, Facebook and Twitter executives will face US congressional committees looking into Russian alleged meddling in last year's elections.

Congress to hear from tech firms in Russia probe

Executives from tech giants such as Facebook will testify before US congressional Russia probes. (AAP)

Executives from Facebook , Alphabet Inc's Google and Twitter will testify to US Congress as lawmakers probe Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 US elections, committee sources say.

A Senate aide said on Wednesday the executives had been asked by the Senate intelligence committee to testify at a public hearing on November 1.

The leaders of the House of Representatives intelligence committee said the panel would hold an open hearing with technology companies as part of its investigation.

"In the coming month, we will hold an open hearing with representatives from tech companies in order to better understand how Russia used online tools and platforms to sow discord in and influence our election," the committee's top Democrat, Representative Adam Schiff, and Representative Mike Conaway, the Republican leading the investigation, said.

They did not immediately identify any companies but a committee source said the House panel hoped to hear from the same firms.

Some US lawmakers, increasingly alarmed about evidence that hackers used the internet to spread fake news and otherwise influence the 2016 election, have been pushing for more information about the influence of social networks.

The committees are the main congressional panels probing allegations Russia sought to interfere in the US election to boost Republican President Donald Trump's chances at winning the White House, and possible collusion between Trump associates and Russia.

Moscow denies any such activity and Trump dismisses talk of such collusion.


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Source: AAP


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