Name: FBI director: It's a mistake to get election information on social media
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FBI director: It's a mistake to get election information on social media

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FollowIf you want accurate details on when and where to vote, he says, don't look to Facebook or Twitter.Alfred NgSenior Reporter / CNET NewsAlfred Ng was a senior reporter for CNET News. He was raised in Brooklyn and previously worked on the New York Daily News's social media and breaking news teams.2 min readIf a Facebook page or an Instagram post is offering the location of your polling place, you should double check that with your local elections office, the FBI director said Thursday at a congressional hearing. Better yet, don't get your election information from social media at all.&nbsp;The hosted on Thursday its annual worldwide threats hearing, where intelligence agencies in past years have warned about and .&nbsp;Disinformation campaigns remained a focus of Thursday's hearing. FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that Russia is looking to influence the 2020 US presidential election by on social media.&nbsp;Trump's top cybersecurity official: Mail-in ballots are...Wray's testimony confirms findings from the , which said in August that Russians are trying to undermine the former vice president's candidacy.&nbsp;The FBI director said that social networks like Facebook and Twitter have worked with the bureau to take down disinformation campaigns, but he also warned Americans against getting election information on those platforms.&nbsp;"It's particularly of concern to us in the election context when Americans make the mistake of getting information about elections themselves on social media," Wray said. "We're trying to make sure Americans know [that] to get information about where, when and how you vote, you need to go to your local election official's website. Don't take it from social media."Facebook said in a statement that details for come directly from the sources that Wray mentions.&nbsp;"An important part of our Voting Information Center is that we link to and source information from state election officials and other nonpartisan civic organizations," a company spokesperson said. "And we'll continue to work closely with state election officials through November to ensure the centers are updated with the latest election information in each state."Twitter declined to comment.&nbsp;Disinformation campaigns aren't limited to attacks against politicians or policies. When &nbsp;on Facebook and Twitter ahead of the 2016 election, posts included memes showing the wrong polling date for voters. On Facebook, such posts reached .&nbsp;That tactic is still prevalent, with a conservative account on TikTok telling Democrats to .&nbsp;Despite Wray's warning, nearly one in five American adults get their .&nbsp; and have both created their own election information hubs to deliver accurate information about voting. If you're looking for election information from your local officials, you can use to find it.&nbsp;&nbsp;The FBI director told Congress his biggest concern related to election security is that Americans could lose confidence in democracy because of misinformation online.&nbsp;"I worry people will take on a feeling of futility because of all the noise and confusion that's generated," Wray said. "And that's a very hard problem to combat."Get the CNET Daily News newsletterSpice up your small talk with the latest tech news, products and reviews. Delivered on weekdays.

FollowIf you want accurate details on when and where to vote, he says, don't look to Facebook or Twitter.Alfred NgSenior Reporter / CNET NewsAlfred Ng was a senior reporter for CNET News. He was raised in Brooklyn and previously worked on the New York Daily News's social media and breaking news teams.2 min readIf a Facebook page or an Instagram post is offering the location of your polling place, you should double check that with your local elections office, the FBI director said Thursday at a congressional hearing. Better yet, don't get your election information from social media at...

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Alfred Ng

CNET, formerly Computer Network, is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally. Founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition in 2008.

FBI director: It's a mistake to get election information on social media

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