washington google discover russian operatives spend tens thousands dollars ads youtube gmail google search products effort meddle 2016 u.s. presidential election person brief company probe tell reuters monday ads appear kremlin-affiliated entity buy ads facebook inc fb.o may indicate broad russian online disinformation effort accord source authorize discuss detail confidential investigation alphabet inc googl.o google microsoft corp msft.o say separately monday look whether russians buy u.s. election ads bing search engine microsoft-owned products platforms spokeswoman company decline comment revelation google likely fuel scrutiny role silicon valley technology giants may unwittingly play last year election u.s. intelligence agencies conclude moscow goal help elect donald trump google uncover less 100,000 ad spend potentially link russian actors source say twitter inc twtr.n facebook recently detect disclose suspect russian operatives work content farm know internet research agency st. petersburg russia use platforms purchase ads post content politically divisive bid influence americans november 2016 presidential election internet research agency employ hundreds so-called troll post pro-kremlin content much fake discredit guise phony social media account pose american european residents accord lawmakers researchers facebook announce last month unearth 100,000 spend internet research agency pressure lawmakers pledge transparent ads purchase target google review robust ones undertake far facebook twitter source say russia ad purchase google first report washington post google deny story statement point exist ad policies limit political ad target prohibit target base race religion take deep look investigate attempt abuse systems work researchers company provide assistance ongoing inquiries google spokeswoman say monday google run world large online advertise business largely evade public congressional scrutiny sunday daily beast news website report kremlin recruit least two black video bloggers post clip youtube campaign pose black live matter sympathizers sharply critical democratic presidential candidate hillary clinton though videos view hundreds time demonstrate first time russia allegedly deploy real people fake online account bots spread propaganda congressional committees launch multiple investigations russian interference concern silicon valley role surge past month backdrop cascade revelations russia appear leverage platforms spread propaganda study publish monday researchers oxford internet institute affiliate british university find current u.s. military personnel veterans target disinformation campaign twitter facebook past year nexus pro-kremlin russian-oriented sit along conspiracy theorists european right-wing ideologues republican democratic lawmakers say russia intend sow discord unite state spread propaganda sway election democrats plan introduce legislation require internet company disclose information political ad purchase platforms vladimir putin use facebook google twitter effect destroy democracy american people know democratic senator richard blumenthal say monday msnbc google officials invite testify publicly russian attempt use platforms influence election house senate intelligence committees nov. alongside facebook twitter facebook twitter confirm plan attend google google uncover russia-backed ads youtube gmail source