Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg to meet House intelligence leaders: Sources

Sheryl Sandberg delivers a speech during a visit to Paris, France, Jan 17, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg will meet with the leaders of the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee behind closed doors on Thursday (Oct 12), according to three sources familiar with the situation.

The committee is one of the main congressional panels investigating allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

It recently received more than 3,000 politically divisive ads believed to have been purchased by Russia that the social media company found on its network that it said appeared in the months before and after the vote.

Sandberg will meet with Representatives Mike Conaway and Adam Schiff, who are leading the committee's Russia probe, the sources said.

Officials from Facebook and the committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The meeting will take place as several major internet firms find themselves on the defensive in Washington, amid renewed scrutiny about how Russia used their platforms influence the 2016 presidential election.

Sandberg is in Washington this week meeting with other lawmakers as well.

She is expected to give a live interview with the news website Axios on Thursday.

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