CNN: 54 Percent Think Russian-Backed Social Media Content Influenced Election

Most Americans believe that Russian-backed content on social media had an impact on the 2016 election, according to a new poll from CNN.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Thursday that the company will release all Russian-linked advertisements that ran on its website during the election.

"We are in a new world. It is a new challenge for internet communities to have to deal with nation states attempting to subvert elections, but if that's what we must do, then we are committed to rising to the occasion," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook Live event, according to CNN.

President Donald Trump quickly dismissed the story as a "hoax," but more than half of those polled disagree.

The Russia hoax continues, now it's ads on Facebook. What about the totally biased and dishonest Media coverage in favor of Crooked Hillary?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2017

• 54 percent said it's either very or somewhat likely that Russian content on social media affected the election.
• 43 percent said it's either not very or not at all likely.

Republicans were far more likely to agree with Trump, while hardly any Democrats did.

• 15 percent of Republicans said the content affected the election.
• 82 percent of Democrats say the same.
• 55 percent of independents say the same.

The CNN poll was conducted by independent research company SSRS, who contacted 1,053 adults from Sept. 17 to 20, with a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points.

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