Report: Russia Used Social Media to Disrupt U.S. Energy Markets by Promoting Pipeline Protests, Climate Change Debate

collected by :Victor Alphen

The House Committee on Science Space and Technology released a report on Thursday detailing how Russia has been using social media platforms to disrupt domestic energy markets and influence domestic energy policies. Russian-sponsored agents funneled money to U.S. environmental organizations in an attempt to portray energy companies in a negative way and disrupt domestic energy markets," the report states. Smith requested more information about Russian actvity from social media companies last October, according to the report. "The committee received and reviewed the companies' produced documents for evidence of Russian influence," the report states. "Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing as a means for producing oil and natural gas began in the early 2000s," the report states.

Russian Hackers Target U.S. Energy Infrastructure

Russia has been trying to interfere with U.S. energy markets and influence U.S. energy policy by using Russian operatives to troll social media platforms with divisive and inflammatory posts, a report by House Republicans has revealed. The report—issued by the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology—includes examples of Russian-propagated content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, targeting U.S. energy markets and domestic energy policy. "Russian-sponsored agents funneled money to U.S. environmental organizations in an attempt to portray energy companies in a negative way and disrupt domestic energy markets," the report said. Russian social media manipulators intentionally injected foreign propaganda into American political discourse. This, in turn, will reduce Russia's influence on Europe to Russia's detriment and Europe's benefit.

Republicans Accuse Russia of Using Social Media to Roil U.S. Energy Policy

As it stated in The same Russian operatives accused of manipulating the 2016 U.S. presidential election used inflammatory social media posts to disrupt U.S. energy policy, including inciting environmentalists to protest against pipeline projects, House Republicans said in a report released Thursday. "Russian agents attempted to manipulate Americans' opinions about pipelines, fossil fuels, fracking and climate change."Separately, a study released by Iowa State University said English-language Russian media coverage of agricultural issues "fits the profile" of an effort to amplify controversy regarding genetically modified food. Russian-sponsored agents also funneled money to U.S. environmental groups in an attempt to portray energy companies in a negative way and disrupt domestic energy markets, the report said. The St. Petersburg, Russia-based research agency was accused in a series of indictments last month of using social media, including by impersonating Americans, to shape U.S. opinions about the 2016 election. "The Kremlin has a motive to disrupt U.S. energy markets and influence domestic energy policy, since American energy represents a direct threat to Russian energy interests," the report said.

Russia Used Social Media to Influence U.S. Energy Markets Since 2015, Lawmakers Say

Russia has used divisive and inflammatory posts on social media platforms in an effort to interfere with U.S. energy markets and influence domestic energy policy, according to a report issued Thursday by Lamar Smith (R-TX), chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. According to the report, an estimated 9,097 Russian messages regarding U.S. energy policy or energy events were posted on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram between 2015 and 2017. IRA targeted pipelines, fossil fuels, climate change and other divisive issues to influence public policy in the United States. The American people deserve to know if what they see on social media is the creation of a foreign power seeking to undermine our domestic energy policy." The main focus of the Russia efforts centered on disruption of pipeline development or the advancement of climate change policies targeting fossil fuels.