Facebook to release 3,000 Russian-bought election ads

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Facebook will release to Congress the content of several thousand ads purchased by Russian operatives before the US election after coming under sustained pressure from lawmakers who criticised it for not being forthcoming about Moscow’s use of social media.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, said on Thursday that the company would share with Congress “the content and related information of the more than 3,000 ads that appear to be linked with a Russian entity known as the Internet Research Agency.”

In a live presentation on his site after his return from paternity leave, Mr Zuckerberg pledged to “work with others to create a new standard of transparency in online political ads”.