Lankford says Russian trolls using NFL debate to sow discord

WASHINGTON (AP) – A Republican on the Senate intelligence committee says Russian internet trolls are using the controversy over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem to stir up divisions in the United States.

Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said Wednesday that the Russian troll farms were hashtagging “take a knee” and “boycott NFL” to amplify the issue and make it seem like a bigger deal than it is.

He says the trolls didn’t choose sides, but simply turned the volume up on the controversy.

Earlier this month, Facebook acknowledged hundreds of fake accounts, probably run from Russia, spent about $100,000 on ads aimed at stirring up divisive issues such as gun control and race relations during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.