Tech giants join up to halt poll meddling

TOP US technology companies – including Facebook, Twitter and Google – held a meeting in San Francisco yesterday to discuss efforts to prevent meddling in the US midterm elections by foreign governments.

The meeting was held in Twitter’s office where the companies shared the work they have been carrying out to combat misinformation, discuss solutions to the problem and debated whether to hold similar meetings in future, according to a report on Buzzfeed News. Microsoft and Snapchat also attended.

The invitation to meet was sent last week by Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy.

The midterm elections will be held on Nov 6, in the middle of Donald Trump’s first presidential term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate will be contested, amid mounting concern about the use of social media to spread lies and misinformation.

“We have been looking to schedule a follow-on discussion to our industry conversation about information operations, election protection and the work we are all doing to tackle these challenges,”

‘The midterms could become the World Cup of information warfare’

Mr Gleicher wrote.

Facebook, Twitter and Google recently deleted hundreds of fake accounts and pages that were linked to Russia and Iran. The pages typically shared posts about the Middle East, but also covered politics in the UK and US.

Cybersecurity company Fireeye said the networks had been used to “promote Iranian political interests, including anti-saudi, antiisraeli and pro-palestinian themes, as well as to promote support for specific US policies favourable to Iran, such as the Us-iran nuclear deal”.

Microsoft has also warned of potential foreign interference in the midterm elections, stating earlier this week that it had uncovered a scheme by a group tied to the Russian government to create half a dozen fake websites.

The scheme targeted US Right-wing think tanks, which have called for increased sanctions on Russia. Members of the groups include senator John Mccain, and Mitt Romney, who have both been critical of Mr Trump’s treatment of Russia.

Alex Stamos, Facebook’s former security chief, warned that the midterms could become the “World Cup of information warfare”.