The culture committee chairman has asked Twitter to provide details of nearly 3,000 user accounts linked to a Kremlin-backed outfit that may have interfered in UK politics.
The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee made the request as part of its ongoing inquiry into fake news.
The digital giants have testified this week as part of a US congressional probe into Russian interference during the 2016 presidential election.
In a letter addressed to Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, Collins referred to the social platform’s claim that it had found 2,752 accounts relating to the St Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency.
The accounts are understood to have been deactivated.
Collins said: “It has subsequently emerged that some of these accounts were also posting content that relates to the politics of the United Kingdom. Any interference by foreign actors in the democratic process of the United Kingdom is clearly a serious matter.”
He added: “I would therefore ask that Twitter provides to the committee a list of accounts linked to the Internet Research Agency and any other Russian linked accounts that is has removed and examples of any posts from these accounts that are linked to the United Kingdom.”
Collins gave Twitter until the end of November to meet his request.
Picture: Twitter/PA Wire
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
