A U.S. group called the Campaign for Accountability (CfA) spent $100, posed as a Russian troll factory, and successfully purchased ads on Google.
This is something Google has claimed to make a lot of headway on. However, the CfA found something else, revealed this week in a report:
"... a series of tests shows Google has done little to strengthen its defenses. Just five months before the 2018 midterm elections, CfA was able to buy ads on Google’s Russian ad platform targeting U.S. internet users. It used the name and identifying details of the Kremlin-linked troll farm that led Russia’s campaign to influence the last presidential election. It even paid for the ads in Russian rubles.
Google then ran the ads on a wide range of websites and YouTube channels, including CNN, CBS This Morning, The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, AnnCoulter.com and Britain’s Daily Mail."
Here is where you can read the complete report on purchasing Google ads like Russian trolls. The authors take us through the process, step by step.
Google turns down Senate request to testify in person
Google is also making news because it declined to testify in person at the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today, but filed this written testimony instead, talking about all the company has allegedly accomplished.
Senators were not happy that Google failed to show when Twitter and Facebook leaders did testify in person.
CNBC talked to Senator Mark Warner:
"I'm deeply disappointed that Google—one of the most influential digital platforms in the world—chose not to send its own top corporate leadership to engage this committee."
Now even Russia is upset with Google
And here's an interesting one: the Russian government is now upset with Google and claims the company is interfering with Russian elections.
ZDNet has an interesting read on this part of the story.
"The Russian authorities have warned Google against breaking electoral law by carrying YouTube ads promoting upcoming protests. However, the opposition figures who paid for the ads say they are not breaking the law."
Google Chrome anniversary
One thing Google is doing that may not be as controversial? It is celebrating 10 years of its Chrome browser with a facelift.
Although we'll see how this goes, because people typically like the user interface they are used to.
