06:01Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith warned of a 'moment of peril ahead' - while Meta's Nick Clegg was questioned about his own firm's track record with 'fake news' - as tech executives discussed alleged 'election interference' at the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday.
“There is a potential moment of peril ahead. Today we are 48 days away from this election, as you said, Chairman Warner. The most perilous moment will come, I think, 48 hours before the election," he claimed.
Chair of the Committee Mark Warner admitted that "too many Americans frankly, don't trust key US institutions, from federal agencies to local law enforcement to traditional media." He also repeated earlier claims first made by DOJ about alleged interference by Russian outlet RT.
"Literally in the last eight weeks, we have seen a covert influence project led by RT to bankroll unwitting US political influencers on YouTube," he said, claiming that other allegations about 'bad guys' putting out stories to look like outlets such as the Washington Post and Fox News 'had 'not gotten much media attention'.
Smith claimed that "we see generative AI being used to more efficiently create fake websites" while Nick Clegg - former UK deputy PM and now Meta president of global affairs - claimed it was a "hallmark of Russian foreign interference in the democratic process to generate AI stories resembling real media."
Clegg was also taken to task by Senator Tom Cotton about his organisation's "collusion with Joe Biden's campaign, led by the current secretary of state, to suppress the factual reporting about Hunter Biden's laptop."
"Mr Clegg, you acknowledged earlier that Facebook demoted that story after it was published by the New York Post. Is that right?" he asked.
"Correct," Clegg replied. "But I should clarify, we don't do that anymore."
The Biden campaign dubbed the story 'smear' and Russian disinformation, while opponents suggested the emails about Hunter's business dealings on the device were evidence of corruption - which was strongly denied. No evidence of any Russian involvement was found.
On Monday Meta banned Russian media outlets including RT from Facebook and Instagram for alleged 'foreign interference activity'. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the company was 'discrediting itself' and said 'such selective actions against Russian media are unacceptable."
The US recently accused Russian media of 'election interference', charging two RT workers with FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) violations.
RT did not comment directly but in response to what it said was a CNN request about an article on election interference, the organisation remarked: 'Hahahaha!' "2016 called, and it wants its cliches back," it continued. "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections… Somewhere, Secretary Clinton is sad that it's not because of her."
Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in successive US presidential elections. An investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election - which saw Donald Trump take on Hillary Clinton - found no evidence of conspiracy or co-ordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
Didn't you collude on Hunter Biden's laptop? Red faces for Meta at 'Russia threat' hearing
Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith warned of a 'moment of peril ahead' - while Meta's Nick Clegg was questioned about his own firm's track record with 'fake news' - as tech executives discussed alleged 'election interference' at the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday.
“There is a potential moment of peril ahead. Today we are 48 days away from this election, as you said, Chairman Warner. The most perilous moment will come, I think, 48 hours before the election," he claimed.
Chair of the Committee Mark Warner admitted that "too many Americans frankly, don't trust key US institutions, from federal agencies to local law enforcement to traditional media." He also repeated earlier claims first made by DOJ about alleged interference by Russian outlet RT.
"Literally in the last eight weeks, we have seen a covert influence project led by RT to bankroll unwitting US political influencers on YouTube," he said, claiming that other allegations about 'bad guys' putting out stories to look like outlets such as the Washington Post and Fox News 'had 'not gotten much media attention'.
Smith claimed that "we see generative AI being used to more efficiently create fake websites" while Nick Clegg - former UK deputy PM and now Meta president of global affairs - claimed it was a "hallmark of Russian foreign interference in the democratic process to generate AI stories resembling real media."
Clegg was also taken to task by Senator Tom Cotton about his organisation's "collusion with Joe Biden's campaign, led by the current secretary of state, to suppress the factual reporting about Hunter Biden's laptop."
"Mr Clegg, you acknowledged earlier that Facebook demoted that story after it was published by the New York Post. Is that right?" he asked.
"Correct," Clegg replied. "But I should clarify, we don't do that anymore."
The Biden campaign dubbed the story 'smear' and Russian disinformation, while opponents suggested the emails about Hunter's business dealings on the device were evidence of corruption - which was strongly denied. No evidence of any Russian involvement was found.
On Monday Meta banned Russian media outlets including RT from Facebook and Instagram for alleged 'foreign interference activity'. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the company was 'discrediting itself' and said 'such selective actions against Russian media are unacceptable."
The US recently accused Russian media of 'election interference', charging two RT workers with FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) violations.
RT did not comment directly but in response to what it said was a CNN request about an article on election interference, the organisation remarked: 'Hahahaha!' "2016 called, and it wants its cliches back," it continued. "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections… Somewhere, Secretary Clinton is sad that it's not because of her."
Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in successive US presidential elections. An investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election - which saw Donald Trump take on Hillary Clinton - found no evidence of conspiracy or co-ordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith warned of a 'moment of peril ahead' - while Meta's Nick Clegg was questioned about his own firm's track record with 'fake news' - as tech executives discussed alleged 'election interference' at the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday.
“There is a potential moment of peril ahead. Today we are 48 days away from this election, as you said, Chairman Warner. The most perilous moment will come, I think, 48 hours before the election," he claimed.
Chair of the Committee Mark Warner admitted that "too many Americans frankly, don't trust key US institutions, from federal agencies to local law enforcement to traditional media." He also repeated earlier claims first made by DOJ about alleged interference by Russian outlet RT.
"Literally in the last eight weeks, we have seen a covert influence project led by RT to bankroll unwitting US political influencers on YouTube," he said, claiming that other allegations about 'bad guys' putting out stories to look like outlets such as the Washington Post and Fox News 'had 'not gotten much media attention'.
Smith claimed that "we see generative AI being used to more efficiently create fake websites" while Nick Clegg - former UK deputy PM and now Meta president of global affairs - claimed it was a "hallmark of Russian foreign interference in the democratic process to generate AI stories resembling real media."
Clegg was also taken to task by Senator Tom Cotton about his organisation's "collusion with Joe Biden's campaign, led by the current secretary of state, to suppress the factual reporting about Hunter Biden's laptop."
"Mr Clegg, you acknowledged earlier that Facebook demoted that story after it was published by the New York Post. Is that right?" he asked.
"Correct," Clegg replied. "But I should clarify, we don't do that anymore."
The Biden campaign dubbed the story 'smear' and Russian disinformation, while opponents suggested the emails about Hunter's business dealings on the device were evidence of corruption - which was strongly denied. No evidence of any Russian involvement was found.
On Monday Meta banned Russian media outlets including RT from Facebook and Instagram for alleged 'foreign interference activity'. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the company was 'discrediting itself' and said 'such selective actions against Russian media are unacceptable."
The US recently accused Russian media of 'election interference', charging two RT workers with FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) violations.
RT did not comment directly but in response to what it said was a CNN request about an article on election interference, the organisation remarked: 'Hahahaha!' "2016 called, and it wants its cliches back," it continued. "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections… Somewhere, Secretary Clinton is sad that it's not because of her."
Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in successive US presidential elections. An investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election - which saw Donald Trump take on Hillary Clinton - found no evidence of conspiracy or co-ordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.