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Twitter to ban ads from Russian news outlets in fallout from Moscow’s interference in US polls

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Associated Press
Associated Press
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Twitter said it will ban ads from RT and Sputnik, two state-sponsored Russian news outlets that the US intelligence community has said tried to interfere with the 2016 US presidential election.

The San Francisco company also plans to donate proceeds from RT, formally known as Russia Today, and Sputnik ads to support outside research on Twitter use in civic engagement and elections. This amounts to US$1.9 million the company expects to have earned since 2011.

Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of state-funded RT television network, right, with Russian President Vladimir Putin, centre. Twitter said it will ban ads from RT and another Russian media outlet, Sputnik. Photo: AP

Twitter, Google and Facebook are expected to testify at congressional hearings next week on Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Twitter also said this week it will disclose more information on political ads.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told state news agency RIA Novosti that Twitter’s move is “another aggressive step” aimed at blocking RT. She also hinted at retaliation.

“Of course, a response will follow,” she said.

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