FBI tracked Election Day social media for fake news from Russia

The FBI monitored social media accounts on Election Day to track Russian efforts to spread damaging false information about candidates, CNN reported Friday. 

Dozens of agents scanned Twitter and Facebook, where stories promoting conspiracy theories and false claims against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had gained traction before the vote. 

Sources told CNN that agents and security analysts spent the day at the FBI headquarters in Washington watching for security threats they believed were originating from Russia.

{mosads}

Another group of FBI analysts and investigators found overseas-based social media accounts linked to the viral stories, which they suspected to be a part of a Russian disinformation operation, two sources with knowledge on the investigation told CNN. 

The FBI, Homeland Security and the office of the Director of National Intelligence spoke with a team at the Situation Room in the White House every three hours during the day about potential security threats, CNN reported. 

Officials also reportedly celebrated after there were no disruptions to voting on Election Day.

The report comes as special counsel Robert Mueller and committees in both the House and Senate investigate Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 election.

Mueller on Thursday impaneled a grand jury in Washington, D.C., as part of his Russia probe.