Senate Intel panel asks Google to cooperate in Russia probe

The Senate Intelligence Committee is summoning Google executives to cooperate in the panel’s probe into Russian election interference and to testify in an open hearing.

The panel is examining Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 vote, especially through social media and web companies.

The news was first reported by Politico on Wednesday. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how the company would respond to the request. 

{mosads}Google is the latest tech company to be summoned in the probe.

Twitter and Facebook are already sharing information with the committee, and The Hill reported on Wednesday that the panel has sent an invitation for those companies to testify in an open hearing for its investigation, as well.

Officials have said they are concerned that Russian-tied groups could have manipulated Google’s algorithm to show certain results for voters looking for political news.

Facebook revealed earlier this month that the company had sold about 3,000 political ads to a Russian troll farm linked to the Kremlin. The company handed over the ads to special counsel Robert Mueller’s team and were also slated to provide them to congressional investigators.

— Ali Breland contributed. Updated: 4:50 p.m.